《Fallen Lightbringers' Return》 Chapter 1: Happy New Year Chapter 1: Happy New Year "-The Goddess of War, Athena, has perished." "I see." The man on the throne looked at the messenger and sighed. "That is a shame." He swiped his hair out of his face. It was of the color ck, ck as ebony, just like his eyes. He hadn''t cut his hair for years now and it was left unkempt, giving him a wild look, a style suiting his personality. ck seemed to be an urring theme, as the man wore a ck robe, with his limbs wrapped tightly in ck bandages. As such, his fair skin was quite the contrast. The messenger bowed down. "Sir, with all due respect, is that all you have to say?" The man rested his head on his fist. "Are you unsatisfied with my response?" "It''s not that," He shook his head. "I was just wondering. She sacrificed her life for us. The girlid her life on the line and perished without leaving any legacy at all. She died, never being able to live out her dreams." The messenger grit his teeth. "And all you have to say is ''that is a shame''?" A girl quickly jumped in and stopped him from talking. "n, Stop!" She hugged him with crying eyes. "Stop it, I beg you. Don''t say anything more, please." However, n didn''t listen. His eyes turned red from his fury. "She stood alone in that hopeless world, holding the front for us. A divine being she was, a God even. The greatest of all! Still, she had feelings! Her first wish, her first rest, her first own thoughts, her first love, her first happiness..." He gripped his face and his nails dug into his flesh while tears welled up in his eyes. He didn''t feel sad, he felt angry. "You were the one who sent her on the suicide mission. You were the one who told her to die. You have her blood on your fucking hands!" He mmed both his fists on the ground and it echoed into the lonely night. "You killed her, and in the end, it was still all in vain..." The people watched him in silence. They had no words that could console him. They felt like they had no right. They were the strongestthe ones who made it this far and survived, yet they had nothing that could alleviate the boy''s anger. Only the sobs of the girl next to him rang in everyone''s ears. She hugged the boy tighter. "Please, stop n, you knew how much she meant to the leader. Just for once," she sniffed, "just for once, please, listen to me." Her tears flowed freely, every drop that fell scarred the hearts of everyone observing. "Please." The man got off his throne. "No, I understand his sentiment." He walked towards the messenger and squatted down. "You''re angry, are you not?" He reached for n''s face. The boy pped the man''s hand away. He scoffed. "Angry? You''re asking if I''m angry?" Heughed, heughed madly. "What do you think?" "I see." The man retracted his hand. "I can see that you are. I understand." He turned around and did not say anything for a long moment. Everyone watched with bated breaths, hoping to see his response. "Hey, did you know," the man said, "I used to rule the world. The world, you know. I had everything in my life. I made an empire with my own hands. The lives I''ve taken to get there are immeasurable. I thought I was invincible. No, I didn''t thinkI knew I was." He stared into the distance and clenched his fist. "Yet, it feels so far away now. Like a summer night dream, one sure to be forgotten. What is the point of everything if it does notst?" He opened his hands, inside, there was nothing. As he looked around he only saw a meager cave, all dpidated and broken down. The walls were too damp to even burn a fire. The only light came from the moon, shining upon them asionally. "Still, I do not regret my choice." The messenger rested his head low. He listened to the man''s words. "An ant gets eaten by a worm. The worm is snatched by a bird. The bird is grilled by a farmer. The farmer pays taxes to a noble. The noble advises a king. The king invades a country. Many people die. The future remembers his story. That''s how everyone leaves a mark. We are all born with marks on our lives, and when we die, we too shall leave a mark. A baton of life, strong, robust, and never swaying. Even if humanity diesour legacy never will." The man went on his knees, causing everyone to be shocked. "Levi, Ananta, Meiwan, Soilin, Wasandra, te, Gil, Barbatos, Ashura, Vil''ette, Emanuel, Vivian, Phoenix, Matheus, La''million, the Dark One, Xteletph, Ali, and of course, Athena. For their deaths, I too feel angry." He mmed his head on the ground. His eyes were sharp as if staring at prey. "For their deaths, I too feel angry." "Leader..." The girl kept her eyes on the man. "It''s fine, truly, it is fine." He reciprocated her gaze. "Minerva. You were the closest to Athena. I understand this information must not havee easy. Thank you for not doubting me." He then gave his attention to the boy. "n. I suppose this was a conversation overdue. I still remember when you were only a small brat on the roadside. You were a nobody. Now, look at you now. They call you the me of Existence. What an overbearing name for a brat like you." The manughed, he then hugged the messenger, "You''ve held on for a long time. You can rest now." n''s eyes widened. The tears he believed to have long dried out flowed unceasingly. He filled the cave with a sorrowful atmosphere. "Master. Master! I''m sorry. I am so sorry. Even though I knew. Even though I knew, Athena was your..." The boy hugged the man tightly. The man did not deny n and ced him in his arms. "It is fine. I do not resent you, child." A long time passed while everyone stood mourning. It was only a loud bang in the sky that broke their embrace apart. Now, everyone in this room got a message. [The special event has been triggered: New Years'' festival. Happy New Year! The Obelisk congrattes you on another sessful year! We are happy to see you still holding strong. Will you be the one to see the end, or will the ende to see you? The Mirage cannot wait and see. Did you know that there''s a race that celebrates their new year by offering 1000 sacrifices? Objective: y all the monsters. 1000 remaining. Rewards: Tears of War. Failure: End of all life.] Fireworks shot into the sky. A myriad of them, uncountable by any ordinary human. They grew bright and colorful. Blue, red, green, every color was represented as they painted the clouds with a rainbow. It was a beautiful sight to see, as if it celebrated Athena''s death, the death of a Goddess. Yet, every single person in the cave was focused on the quest. They stared at the timer slowly counting down. [00:00:00:04:44_95] "This motherfu surely the people above must be enjoying this situation, no?" A woman grabbed her axe. She cursed, "Tears of War? Those sadistic bastards, how long will they drag Athena''s name in the mud? What event? All they are doing is sending us to our early deaths, aren''t they?" "Li Wanfei, calm down. Have we not survived countless situations like this?" Another guy hit his chest. "I''m sure it will turn out fine." "Emperor of all des..." The woman looked at him. She didn''t find any words to say. Her eyes fell on his right shoulder and saw the bandaged stump he was left with. There was no way for him to practice his sword art anymore. "I see. Maybe you are right," she said. However, her wordsforted no one. An old man holding a long staff muttered, "If only we had a little more time. No, if only we could start again, starting from the First Advent. The many lives worth, the people we had to sacrifice, how many more need to die before the Mirage is satisfied?" He referred to the beginning of it all, when The Mirage took its roots, the people called it the First Advent. No one replied. The First Advent was the day where everything began. Oh, how great it would be to return and start over. Yet, there was no need for such a senseless dream. They did not pay heed to an old man''s meaningless ramble. Instead, they focused on what was toe, and their faces remained gloomy. The time Athena had bought for them, in the end, was only a mere five minutes. "So, who has to go now?" The old man asked. In this cave, there was no one he''d put before anyone else, yet, someone had to die today. Someone had to sacrifice themselves to save this world, even if it was meant to be him. Li Wanfei walked forward. "Look, isn''t it alright already?" She held tightly onto the tilt. "Why do we even try this hard?" "What, what do you mean?" The old man asked back. "Are you telling us to give up?" "Yes, I am! There''s no hope left in this world already! We stand no chance." "Preposterous," anotherdy shouted out. She hid her face behind a fan. Her pupils turned into slits. "How dare you insinuate for us to give up? What about the many who haveid their lives down? Can you face them in heaven with this attitude?" Everyone started bickering. "Heaven... has fallen long ago." A man with tattered wings said. "The souls have no resting ce anymore." "Enough," the leader said. As he did, everyone started to listen. His head, even though he''d mmed it on the ground, was fine. "I will go." The winged guy looked to his leader. "What, you alone? How can you leave, the people need you!" His eyes turned sharp. "Child of God, are you really looking for a fight or simply a ce to rest?" "Rest? Me?" He took his coat off the shelf. "Raphael, who am I?" The man slowly walked towards the exit. Raphael''s eyes opened wide. The question gave him a shiver. "You are..." The man shouted out. "Who am I!" He continued speaking without waiting for an answer. "ListenI am the yer of Gods, the Blood Emperor," he continued, louder, "I am the Unifier! The Unarmed King! I''m the one who leads you all!" Putting his coat on, the many people bowed in penance. They took their weapons and mmed them on the ground. The cave shook to their unison. A surge of killing intent wafted through the room as the man smiled, his canines showing. "I am Lee Dojin, the Lightbringer. I know of no rest." The people in the cave roared out loud. Onest time, their motivation had been rekindled. Those simple words filled with confidence riled them up. There seemed to be hope again, yet they cried out tears, for they knew where their leader was going. Lee Dojin walked out. The surroundings were only scorched earth and ck craters. The sky had be a hazy yellow with thunder and rain falling, and the air, with its ck dust, had grown hard to breathe. Rifts continued to open, ripping time and space apart. He looked at the innumerable monsters rushing out. "1000 monsters, huh?" Lee Dojin cracked his neck. A smile full of bloodlust appeared on his face. "I only have two hands, so everybody, line up." A dragon sprang out the line and jumped at him. It had fangs as long as the horizon, its mouth as big as the sky, and the fire it spewed burned as bright as the sun. Lee Dojin lightly waved his hand, the fire dispersed. He grabbed the dragon''s mouth, his arms bulged, his grip strengthened, and he ripped the dragon''s jaw apart. It squirmed but could not escape the iron grip, until it eventually turned into two, Lee Dojin holding both sides, basking in its blood. "999 remaining." The monsters screamed out and rushed at him. He, disappeared, no, he moved too fast for anyone to see. Anytime he threw a fist, a monster died. Anytime he kicked, a monster died. Anytime he moved, a monster died. "996... 991... 964... 800... 700... 500..." He was now sopletely dyed red no one could recognize him as human anymore. An unexpected voice appeared at thest 100. "Oh dear, look at you killing all my precious children." Lee Dojin turned around. He saw a tall man, his white hair slicked back, wearing a purple suit that fit him well. "You..." The man bowed down. "It''s been a long time, well, since," the man chuckled a little, "since I killed your mother I suppose." He grabbed Lee Dojin''s neck, and all his power dispersed. "I missed you too," he said nonchntly as his grip tightened. Lee Dojin grabbed the man''s arm, but it did not budge. It was as if he had turned into that dragon he first killed. He felt his strength rapidly fade away. His vision turned blurry as he stared at the man in front of him, the monster, known as The Usurper. "I doubt you''ll listen, but struggling is useless. You do not stand a chance. Why don''t you say something, you''re making me sad." The man suddenly realized something. "Oh, wait, it''s because of my hand holding your throat isn''t it." He loosened his grip. "You can speak now." Lee Dojin coughed out blood and lifted his hand to the side. "Go fuck yourself," he said, and a shockwave appeared. 8 more monsters died. "You bastard!" The man decisively tried to crush his head, but Lee Dojin moved his neck to the left. Still, his left eye, nose, and jaw shatteredpletely. However, he smiled, again his canines showed. "Usurper, this round... you lose." A sudden light descended upon him. His whole body started to smoke. The man looked at Lee Dojin, his eyes opening wide. "You, you couldn''t be, you had that kind of skill?" He tried letting go, but Lee Dojin held him down with all his might. "Crazy bastard, go by yourself!" The man screamed loudly, but Lee Dojin heard nothing anymore. His chest felt like it would burstrather, it did burst, a great white light overwhelming every creature in the vicinity. Right before he faded away, he mouthed out the word Zero. And thus was the end of the Lightbringer, Lee Dojin. [Countdown Over. Hidden Blessing activated: Mother''s Embrace. Searching for parallel universes. A suitable world has been found.] [Time before the First Advent: 20 Days] Chapter 2: A New Chance Chapter 2: A New Chance "two, one, Happy New Year!" Confetti cannons went off and loud bangs echoed in the distance. Bright lights of many colors shone through the windows, illuminating the small room. The people toasted their wine and drank it in one gulp. It was a festive atmosphere. Lee Dojin looked at the unfathomable situation. Simultaneously, He held his head in pain as he felt like it had been split in two. He felt as if the world was spinning and was came close to puking, but he held strong. Still, the thunders in his brain kept ringing out, as if willing to break free at any moment. Not only did it hurt physically, but it also did mentally. He still felt the aftershocks running through his body as he self-destructed and blew the monsters away. Yet now he stoodfortably and alive in a ce he had never been before. There weren''t many people at the scene, but they all seemed happy. A woman walked away from the crowd, seemingly looking for something. Seeing Lee Dojin standing alone in the corner, she approached him. "Hey, why are you so gloomy? It''s a new year. At least for today, show some kind of reaction, will you," the woman asked, but didn''t appear convincing since she herself carried a stone-cold face. She didn''t look angry, rather, her countenance showed no emotion. As the pale Lee Dojin grabbed his temples, his sight fell onto the woman too. His eyes opened wide and he forgot all about the vertigo he felt. "Who the hell are you?" At the same time, he held his face, wondering why he could feel anything at all. "Are you joking around?" The woman was of short stature. She possessed long ck hairsimr to himand green eyes, shimmering like morning dew on fresh grass. She wore a white dress, flowing down to her knees. Her face was without any wrinkles, yet, she seemed incredibly mature, unlike her physical appearance. "Who am I except your mother?" Lee Dojin held his mouth. A feeling of disgust welled up from his stomach, like a punch, no, a train had split his guts, and his throat began to ache as a slightly acidic taste touched his lips. He felt like he was going to throw up. He stepped a few steps back and fell on his feet. His mother quickly walked up to him. She asked if he was okay. "That''s impossible," he muttered in shock. Lee Dojin coughed twice. It should not be possible. "Because you..." Because she was supposed to be dead. He had seen it with his own two eyes. Without a doubt, his mother had died. Still, here she stood, as if an exact replica, not even a strand different. "Because what?" The woman brushed her hair aside. She stared at him, her eyes cold. But to Lee Dojin, it was a weing sight. His mother was a woman that never showed many emotions, her expressions were always frosty. To him, her face could not look any warmer right now. Lee Dojin propped himself up. This was not the time to wallow in useless thoughts. He was sure he had died. For one, that was what his skill had been designated to do. A great attack with a great price. But what made him sure of his perishment were hisst thoughts as the light faded away. He had many near-deaths before, but nothing felt quite like thislungs rupturing, skin bubbling, hair burning. "A trick? A dream? The afterlife?" Lee Dojin walked towards a window. He did it reflexively, hoping for fresh air. However, when he opened the windowsill, he saw way more than he bargained for. Outside, he saw many people all walking around, fireworks kept popping off, people cheered, fancy neon signs brightened the night. The apocalyptic world was nowhere to be seen. The Seoul tower that had fallen long ago, stood tall and bright in the far distance. A bad premonition overcame him. He turned back, seeing his mother stare at him in concern. He muttered, "Even if it is an illusion, do not wake me up. Not yet, please." "You''re acting weird. Are you fine?" "What date is it?" "Huh?" He asked again, this time more agitated. "What date is it?" His Mother (or at least the woman that looked like his mother) swirled her wine then answered. "Well, I suppose it is now the first day of 2026." She took a sip. "Geez, is this your way of wanting to celebrate with us together? Aren''t you shy? You could have just askedalmost had me worried there." He felt a sense of incredulous vertigo hit him again. He grasped his head, his long beautiful hair had turned into short straight bangs. He looked at the window''s reflection and could almost not recognize himself, he had turned 20 years younger. Things were just a little too weird for him to understand. However, he was not such a weak-minded man that he could not analyse what was going on with all these hints. "It seems that I have returned." He breathed out. "After death, to a time before the Mirage, a time without system, a time before the first advent." He shuddered at that thought. His mother grabbed his hand and guided him to the other guests. The people weren''t a lot. but they seemed intimate with him and his mother. Was it because he had been gone for so long? He couldn''t remember for the life of him who they were. An olderdy stepped up. Behind her was a young boy, presumably her son. She wore thick sses and had a bob haircut. At first nce, the woman seemed to be wealthy, with her designer leather jacket and gold essories, but after further scrutiny, one would realize that they were mostly fake. "Oh has your son finally decided to join us? I was wondering why he was so silent today." "Unnie..." Lee Dojin''s mother seemed a little displeased, but since there wasn''t much emotion in her expressions to begin with, no one but him noticed it. The olderdy continued, "Now that we have the festivities out of the way, why don''t we have a little chat?" Sheughed in a shrill voice, "See, my son has gotten a rmendation from a University in Boston, don''t you think that is great? He always works hard to make me proud." The son in question grabbed his mother''s hand. "Mom, please drop it." He seemed a little embarrassed by what his mother said. "Aren''t you a lucky one," Lee Dojin''s mother said curtly. The woman continued with an disingenuous smile. "He''s been starting to take extra lessons from English tutors. See, the teachers are of no use these days, they don''t teach anything of value. Did you know that 2/3 of all high-schoolers cannot speak English? Inparison, my son is doing rather well. Say, do you have some tutors you''d rmend?" "Uhm, my son doesn''t have any tutors." His mother lowered her head. "He''s doing alright in school, and I think it''s more important that he makes friends and learn to socialize." Thedy appeared shocked as she gasped out loud. "Seunhee, how can you say something like that? Socialize? Wake up! Your son can socialize even after he has found a stable job. Do you know how important a career is? Rent is rising, wages are stagnating, food expenses keep piling upforget a family, how will he feed himself?" "He" "See, my son has already learned tomunicate his thoughts properly. He''s taken the CEFR and has been certified as a B1. We are thinking of letting him do the TOEFL next Isn''t that great?" Thedy egged his son on, "Why don''t you speak some English, I''m sure they''d like to listen. Oh wait, maybe it is that your Lee Dojin can''t speak anything other than Korean?" The woman cackled like a hyena. Suddenly, Lee Dojin, who had been spacing out the entire time, spoke, "Shut the hell up. I don''t care if you are God Himself speaking, I''m trying to think." And he did so in perfect English. All the people listening (or eavesdropping) were caught in a stupor. He spoke a little too fast for them to understand, but they had a feeling that something incredible had urred. Only the son of thatdy had a different reaction. The boy looked at his mother and replied in English. "You, you can speak English too?" However, his voice had a thick ent behind it. A stark difference to Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin rubbed his temples. "Who cares what I speak? I have more important business to attend to." He eyed the boy. An idea popped into his head. "Buddy, lent me that coat you have." "What?" "I need that coat." He grabbed the boy by his shoulder. He gestured at the door. "It''s cold outside." The boy, seeing his intimidating face, quickly surrendered his coat. "...Uhm, Hyung." The boy timidly called for Lee Dojin but was scared away by his vicious face. How can a guy be this terrifying? "I, uh-" Lee Dojin cut him off. "Forget English. Forget tutoring. Forget career. These things will no longer matter." He clicked his tongue and walked out. "Soon, the only thing in your mind will be how to survive in this wretched world." If he had returned, he needed to see. He had all his knowledge and experience at hand. His skills and items would not be the same anymore, but what did it matter? He could just find them again. The mistakes he had made in the past, the people he could not save, the opportunities lostit all came back to him. An incredible sensation ran over his body, sending shivers down his spine. However, for now, that was all still in the future. Yes, for now, he needed to understand his situation. Chapter 4: The Past Lee Dojin Chapter 4: The Past Lee Dojin "Hmm, this is a pain in the ass." Lee Dojin chewed on the chicken bone. After years of only eating rotten monster carcasses and nts that may or may not be poisonous, the taste of fast food was heavenly. He took another chicken wingthe fried smell tantalizing his sensesand stuffed it into his mouth; the oily crunch of the batter, mixed with that slightly tangy egg tartar sauce was a dream. He ripped through the white flesh with his teeth, leaving not a single edible part behind. He thought about the times when he had to eat wallpaper glue to survivesuch days were no more. No matter his future decisions, he had to stack up on food when the apocalypse happened. In the meanwhile, he continued fiddled with his phone. "Damn it, that''s not the password either. How annoying." It was the morning of a new day, and he sat in his room, trying to find out more about himself. Well, not himself, but more like his past self, the one that resided in this body prior. However, that proved to be a lot harder than initially anticipated. He browsed through the shelves, finding nothing of value. "But anyway, don''t I live afortable life?" He analyzed his surroundings. His room was a lot bigger than he had lived before. His walls were made of hard cement, instead of the wood, he was used to. His bed was soft, and the sheets were big enough to cover him. The door fit perfectly in the frames, which he was rather thankful for. He still remembered, in the winter, when his old wooden door contracted to leave a gaping slit at the bottom, and the barrages of freezing wind entered, he always would catch a cold. The only thing that bothered him was the family pictures hung around the bed-stand. There was no fatheras if he did not exist. From childhood until now, it was only his mother. But that didn''t bother Lee Dojin. Instead, it was the facial expressions of the parallel him in the many pictures. Even though he had a lot more than the current him. The boy did not appear happy. Rather, in every photo, he frowned with his head down, appearing somber. His bangs kept hiding his eyes. Lee Dojin and he may have the same features, but they could not be any more different. He bit through the chicken bone and spat it out. "Che, why is he so gloomy all the time?" As he was about to inspect other ces, he noticed a piece of paper sticking out from behind a picture. It was of his middle-school graduation. Taking it out, wondering what it was, his curiosity turned into surprise. It was a tattered book with a title: Diary. "Haha, jackpot." He immediately started flipping through the notebook. "Hmm, boring. No, that''s not it. Oh, that happened to him too? How funny. Nope, still irrelevant. Hoh, that is interesting." Lee Dojin read through his childhood, sometimesughing, sometimes angry, sometimes pitying him, but always entertained. It was like reading a very long joke. That guy was theplete opposite of him. While Lee Dojin was strong-willed, overbearing, arrogant, and prideful, the boy in this universe was passive, meek, and conflict-averse. He flipped to the high-school chapter. The one written most recently. And seeing how his appearance was that of one just beginning university too, it fit pretty well. He grinned. "Now, let me see what Lee Dojin in this world tries to be." However, his grin faded, reading the first page. [Why is it always me? They ganged up on me again today. Even though I don''t have any money either. Even though I just want to go to school silently. Why do the strong always gang up on us weak?] [I write again. They made me stand in the locker today. The teacher was furious since I wasn''t at school. Hyejin tried to stand up for me again, but of course, no one wants to listen. I wish she did not talk to me anymore. It''s fine, I don''t want her to be hurt. It''s fine.] [Mom can''t pay rent again today. I can''t do this.] [Hello, it''s me again, writing because I cannot sleep. All the thoughts of ending it all leave me haunted, making it hard for me to concentrate on nothing; The timees creeping too fast for me to keep up, and now it already is 4 am. Should I not go to school today? My mind is slow, I feel drowned in mud, I''m tired. I rested, but I''m still tired. I''ve coped, for years, by feeling nothing, but the fragile dam has brokenand I cannot stop it] [I''m not craving for attention, I only wish someone would listen (or pretend they did). I don''t need tipswhat I want is to vent, so I can at least treat the symptoms since the cause is already lost. Every day, I''m reminded that there''s no point living in this world. I believe in rebirth, but I never hope to see it, since life itself is suffering.] [I''m scared] [I''m scared of death and pain, too cowardly to end it. What stops me is the means to do so. Though, if I had to choose, I would like to jump off a high building; because I would like to feel free onest time.] [I won''t end it, yet. But the limit hovers above me, and I think it is high-time to do so. I''ve reached overtime with no ybook. My sense of existence is fading, and I want to fade with it. Still, here I am.] [I hate it here] [...] Lee Dojin closed the book. For a while, he stood there, unmoving. "This isn''t a joke anymore." He brushed his hair aside. "Shit, the moods all ruined." He thought about the past Lee Dojin, the boy who wanted to disappear without any pain. In a way, he had gotten hisst wish, even though Lee Dojin would have never agreed with him. However, that was just the way The Mirage was. As much as it was the enemy, it did grant many opportunities; For many, it had fulfilled the wishes of a lifetimethough it was up to them to decide whether it was worth it or not. Lee Dojin hid the book behind the frame again. This was not a thing his mother should see. No, maybe she bears responsibility too, overlooking the suffering of her son. That, he won''t deny. However, that was all in the past. The people residing in this body weren''t the same anymore. The person now would never allow this to happen again. He took his jacketone he did not borrow this timeand left for the door. His mother who stood in the kitchen walked up to him. She wore a pink apron and had her hair done in a bun. "Oh, where are you going Dojin? I thought you were ill, did you get better?" "Uh," Lee Dojin suddenly remembered that he faked a stomachache since he did not want to go to school. In the first ce. who took volunteer lessons in the holidays? No, even if he wished to go, he didn''t know where it was anyway. "No, I''m just going to the convenience store then take a walk." "Okay, but don''t eat that pre-packaged food, you hear me? I''m sure that''s why you got ill in the first ce!" She waved the wooden spoon at Lee Dojin. It was nice to hear someone reprimanding him after such a long time. Closing the door behind him. He walked out. Ever since he arrived, every time he was outside, he took a deep breath, enjoying the air. While manyined about the fine dust and smog, Lee Dojin could not help but feel that this was the freshest air he had ever breathed. If only they knew what would happen in less than a few weeks from now, they would never darein. "I feel bad lying to her, but school can wait for now." Lee Dojin strolled around while thinking. As previously mentioned, although the official start of the First Advent (and with it, the apocalypse) will be around 20 days from now on, there were some people who were able to start early, gaining powers and skills before anyone else. Entering the Mirage World early was mostly luck, but a select few got in due to knowledge. Lee Dojin would be of thetter one. The first official start had been aptly named tutorial. Where Lee Dojin would traverse was known differently: Trailer. That''s what the people referred to as the beginning before the beginning. Thinking about this, Lee Dojin the distaste from the diary left had started to wash out a little bit. Still, he also felt frustrated, thinking of how the system set people on such an unfair advantage right from the start. He wished to stop by the convenience store first, stuffing himself fill with food, since they would soon be a scarcity. Right in the vicinity of the entrance, there stood four boys, chatting loudly and scaring the customers away. "Should they not be in school doing voluntary lessons?" Lee Dojin was about to walk past them and buy some Ramen, but the voice of one boy stopped him. "Oh, no way Lee Dojin?" The boy''s eyes opened wide. "What a surprise!" Lee Dojin tilted his head. Did he know these people in his previous life? "Hello," he greeted curtly. The other boys slowly realized who he was and surrounded him. "No way, is that all you have to say? And here I thought I''d not get to see you during new years." One person even ced his arm around Lee Dojin. "You little shit, I was just short on cash, why don''t you cough up?" His friends chuckled like hyenas. "Oh, that is how it is. It''s you guys." Lee Dojinughed loudly, his shrill voice surprising the boys around him. "Oh, how fitting. I was looking for a ce to vent." Chapter 5: Trailer Chapter 5: Trailer "Youthe hell are youughing for? You got your brain stuffed during New Years'' or something," A boy wearing a ck shirt and hair dyed brown shouted. "Shut the fuck up." Lee Dojin swiped his hand left. A simple move it was, but the oue was not simple at all. His palm promptly hit the boy''s neck and sent him flying. He tumbled a few meters until crashing into a garbage bin and in the end passing out. Everyone abruptly stopped talking. They crooked their stiff necks towards the friendying in the trash, bubbles foaming out his mouth. Lee Dojin rubbed his hand. "That one was supposed to kill him," he said. "Guess I''ve turned a lot weaker than I thought. What an annoyance." The guys were stunned by Lee Dojin''s disy. They could notprehend what just happened. "...Looks like you''ve gotten some ballstely." After some silence, a much bigger guy stepped up. In fact, he was the biggest of all. He had a buzzcut and was a head taller than everyone else. Lee Dojin was a bit surprised by the guys'' bulging muscles underneath his tracksuit. What did they feed those kids to grow them this size? "Alright time for some private tutoring. You better bow." The guy cracked his knuckles. "From fighting against Gods to fighting against bullies, and such stereotypical ones to boot." Lee Dojin shook his head and chuckled wryly. "What can I say, except that this is rather humiliating?" He then walked past these boys, ignoring thempletely?" "Look at this bastard." The big guy felt a vein pop on his forehead. With an angry face, he swung his fist down on Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin turned his head, staring at the guy. "Who allowed you to touch me?" His expression was cold as ice, and when the guy saw his eyes, a cold shiver ran down his spine and he felt his sweat flow backward. But it was already toote. Lee Dojin dodged the fist, the cross-countered with a left Hook, ced urately at the attacker''s chin. The guy''s head snapped back and he felt like his whole brain had been rattled. "You know, I''ve hunted a lot of big guys like you before," he heard Lee Dojin whisper. And that was thest of his consciousness. Lee Dojin grabbed the guy''s wrists, and with the other hand, he rained down punches into his face. The guy''s strength rapidly faded, first stumbling back, then falling to his knees, and in the end plopping onto the floor. Meanwhile, Lee Dojin continued pummeling him. Every time his fist flew, dark red blood sprayed on the ground, asionally a tooth too, turning it into an avant-garde painting. The guy''s nose had turned to mush, broken beyond repair. New wounds were hidden by even newer wounds. They''d swell, then explode again due to Lee Dojin''s fists. Atst, he had reached boneand it shall break too, with Lee Dojin''s knuckles. "Nwo mhore... pweese," he begged, tears flowing out his ckened eyes. Then he faded out. Lee Dojin still held the guy''s wrist, though he had turned lifeless, and was thus rather heavy. "Committing murder... would be problematic before the apocalypse starts." He spat on the floor, then nced at the other two guys. They showed no desire to join. No, rather, they were paler than a sheet of paper. "Well, guess you people got lucky, huh? I hope we don''t see each other in 20 days, because I won''t be this lenient at that time." He patted his pants and nonchntly walked away. While doing so, he swung his fistsblood sttering awayand sang a song, "It''s the end of the world as we know it~" "That bastard Lee Dojin has gone crazy..." Lee Dojin wasn''t scared that the police could get involved. If they were this efficient, he''d not have been bullied in the first ce. Rather, he cared about something else. Turning around the corner, he looked at his fist. Though it was hard to tell, due to the blood, he had scraped his knuckles and it hurt every time he closed his hand. "This body is useless. If it were the old me, he''d be headless from the first hit." Heughed at himself, for the first time, his canines showed. "Unarmed King, what a joke. Right now I''m just an Unarmed Idiot." He took a packet of chips out of his jacket and opened it. He grabbed a handful and shoved it all into his mouth. "Oh well." Right now, he was heading towards a nearby mountain. He needed a space with as few people as possible. As he did, he kept stopping at fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to stuff himself full of the bad food his mother warned him about. If only she knew what the world woulde to. After taking numerous weird turns and walking the ill-advised paths, he had arrived at a hidden, yet open field. But that wasn''t what mattered the most. Lee Dojin looked up. The sun, uninhibited by the clouds, shone the brightest here. For a second he even felt warmand it was still winter. Lee Dojin breathed out, calming his nerves. He put all the junk food away and started concentrating. Facing the sun, he shouted out loud, "Mirage, show me your world!" He stretched his arms out, waiting for any reaction. Yes, that is all it took. No special ritual, no sacrifices, and no convoluted secret location. All it took was only this sentence. Like an Arabian cave that opened only with a magical sentence, the system would appear and open a whole new world for him. Really, as far as Lee Dojin knew, this discovery had been a pure coincidence by some random guy drunkenly babbling some words after watching a fantasy movie. This info then spread word by word, letting only the most elite know. And thus, a select few gained an upper hand before the game even began. How stupid; Yet, it fit the systems M.O. perfectly. And with that, he had be part of the Mirage again. Still, to activate the Hidden Quest, another incantation was needed. Naturally, he knew that too, thus it was quite easy for him. Out of a blue, a sudden message appeared in front of him. [Hidden Quest activated.] And with it, like an avnche, messages kept appearing in front of him. [Wee, Warrior of Earth. You have been chosen. Whether you stumbled upon this randomly or knew beforehand is of little value. It is the Will of the Shadows that guided you here. Soon, the world you have known to be true will be no more. It is inevitable, and no power can halt its process. Change is always meant to be. Only know, it will be of a much grander scale. Yet, we grant you a chance to thrive, giving you a quest before the beginning of all. Complete it, and you shall receive a great reward, fail, and you rest with the fallen warriors. Change is always meant to be. But that does not have to be a bad thing. Prove your worth, or be crushed by it.] "Oh, how very interesting. So in the trailer, the system talks by itself. Usually, it uses a proxy. The only time I''ve seen this happening was at very special events." Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. "Looks like the trailer is a bit more peculiar than initially expected." [The first step to fighting the world is by fighting yourself. Understand yourself and you will understand the world. A shadow walks in your footsteps, is it not the aptest to represent you? Objective: y the spawning shadows. Reward: Upgrade crystal. Failure: Termination of the trailer.] [Rank 6203/6203] "Now that is more like it." Lee Dojin whistled. "But the best thinges right after." As if hearing Lee Dojin''s words, a new message appeared, one much different from the others. [Starting from now on, please choose your Affinity. Choose wisely. All your skills will be based upon your choice.] Chapter 6: Affinities Chapter 6: Affinities Around these days, there had been a popr theory going around on the inte. It attracted attention because not only was it intriguing but also very much creepy. The idea went like this Why was it, that within this incredibly vast universe, we have not yet stumbled upon extraterrestrial life? The failure of finding any other civilization within the observable universe, implies the possibility that there may be something preventing beings from reaching a certain point of existence. The theory suggests: every civilization, after reaching past its infancybe it through war, intelligence, magic, or even something else entirelythey''d reach a point where they''d face a great filter, impossible for any lifeforms to pass. And that filter would wipe any civilization, and the evidence of its existence, off the universe, leaving a nk canvas for new beings to thrive. At one point you may have gone diving deep into the ocean, but as you swim through the currents, you realize that no fish were there. You knew there should be fish, yet you see none, as they had learned not to show themselves, for there was something much more sinister lurking in the waters. And it certainly wasn''t you. Lee Dojin knew. Only he did. The universe was a deep ocean and civilizations hid in the corners where no light ever hit. All, except for humanity, ignorant to the many silent voices. And the consequences for such behavior would be clear with the appearance of The Mirage, also known as the system. A predator that swallowed all. It was the great filter. Every civilization, some stronger and much more united than humanity, would inevitably be eradicated by The Mirage as it continued expanding and reaching far into the universe. Thus, the only solutions were to hide, or not evolve. However, the system was fair; Or at least it pretended it was. Within the hopelessness always came a sliver of opportunity, and if grasped, it could be the chance of a lifetime. It gave them a chance to rebel. A chance to not be forgotten. It gave them power, skills, born from their lives to fight back. Akin to mercy, as if telling them their long history lived on earth was not in vain, and this was their only chance to prove ittheir whole existence, summarized sinctly in one message: [The Mirage epts your way of living. All people pass their legacy around. Losing your life cannot be called death; it is merely a long rest. It is only when one is forgotten that one truly has died. Inherit your will. Fight for your name. From now on, turn your legacy into power. Warrior, never forget, always remember. It is when one''s will disappears that Death has trulye reap them. Please select your Affinity:] An Affinity was a rather simple thing. Yet, it would don as the most important choice of ones lifetime. The system would skive through the humans impact on Earth and based on the way of their lives, it would rmend them an affinity, on which all future skills were based. Fire, Water, Lightning, Leaf, Sword, Death, Wings, Halo, Food, Desireeverything imaginable could turn into ones affinity. A great cook, for example, could get the affinity of Food. Naturally, there''d be more choices toe, thus, even though some people may have the same affinity, the skills birthed from them were incredibly different. Lee Dojin had the affinity of Light in his previous life. It was a rather good affinity, if possible, he''d choose it again. "Four affinities, that''s quite a lot." He was rather surprised. One had to remember, affinities were based on significant aspects of ones life. Some may not even receive one favor at all. Even Lee Dojin in his past life only had three options. 1. Modern Toxin Monster 2. Hamelin of Murder 3. Lightbringer 4. Inheritor of the Universe The titles were rather stupid, not telling much of their respective powers. They also left a small description, but it was not that helpful either. Naturally, one could infer from their titles what the affinity may entail, but they could also be trapped by something which appeared not as it seemed. However, as these affinities were all based on ones whole lifeeven if they may end up regretting their choicethey only had themselves to me. [Modern Toxin Monster. Evaluation B~C. The Warrior has lived a hard life. Be it through mental oppression or external factors, it has affected the Warrior perspective in life greatly. Like poison, bad thoughts, creep into your mind, telling you to create harm. Warrior, no more will toxicity control you. It is time to let it out and use it elsewhere!] Incidentally, Lee Dojin knew about this one. Common sense would reckon that the Toxin Master would reign over poison, but in truth they only reigned over the affinity Cyanide. It was a rather dark one as some may be able to imagine. "Oh, that''s not a bad one. But I''m not really a fan of using cyanide," Lee Dojin muttered. He had realized something interesting. This title was not based on the current him. Being a Toxin Monster would preface the fact that the user had dark and self-harming tendencies, something he never experienced. [Hamelin of Murder. Evaluation A~B. Death follows youor do you follow Death? The Warrior has gone through many experiences in his life, some which leave him broken. Thoughts of killing start swirling the Warriors mind. What does Blood taste like? How does flesh cut? When do bones break? Find it out yourself. Let others feel your pain, you shan''t be the only one.] Lee Dojin scratched his head an sighed audibly. "He has some incredibly gruesome Affinities to choose here. It really makes one wonder what kind of life he had lived." This one was straightforward. The affinity of murder. An incredibly offensive one, yet also a double-edged sword as it slowly ate the users mind, turning him int o an indiscriminate serial killer. He would never choose such vtile affinity. [Lightbringer. Evaluation S. Born from a stranger, a Warrior that never experienced warmth. Life has it out for you, wishing for you to disappear. Karma does not wee you in its circle. Even God himself hopes for your suffering to end. However, the darkness cannot overwhelm you. Your strengthes from your belief, and that belief will turn into strength. You will lead, you will guide, and as timees, you will rebel. The darkness disperses at the Warriors hand. No one stands in your way, your light pierces through the sky.] This was the affinity he knew the best. The affinity of Light. The one that would be his hands and feet. There was not much to say. It was thanks to this affinity that he had survived until the ends of humanity, even bing the leader. If possible, he''d like to choose it once more. However, there was one crucial detail he could not overlook. Even if he was the strongest. In the end he still lost. Going the same route again would inevitably lead to the same downfall. he did not want to waste the chance his mother had given him. As he kept agonizing, the shadows around him started to move. They wriggled around, seemingly gaining sentience, and one by one, they slowly moved toward Lee Dojin. In the meantime, he was still lost in thought. "Thest one..." [Inheritor of the Universe. Evaluation ???. Feeling the Warriors presence, an opportunity has been given. After all, a Warriors life is full of opportunities, and from now on, he will never miss them, as every path taken, every choice made, every breath takeneverything that was possible would be yours. A parents love is immeasurable, just like the many universes. Stand strong, for you are the inheritor of everything.] Reading this description, Lee Dojin turned silent. In his previous life, he had never received such favor, and he knew why. This affinity was based on his mother. Thinking that, indescribable feelings welled up from the pit of his stomach. Did the system know he had traveled between universes, or was it more of his mothers present? Was it a trick or a treat? He could not tell. And the evaluation ''???'' threw him off all the more. One of the shadows had assimted into a humanoid creature. It had long fangs, strong limbs, and ferocious eyes that wished to rip apart anything. For normal humans who had lived a sedentary lifestyle, they would be frozen stiff, facing such unnatural creature. It pounced at the distracted Lee Dojin. "Stop annoying me." Sadly for the Shadow, Lee Dojin was no normal human. Without even giving it a nce, he kicked the Shadows face, its head burst into ck smoke and it disappeared back into the darkness. All the while, he agonized over his choices. "I think I will have to go for this one after all." Chapter 7: Skills Chapter 7: Skills "I suppose that was it for my little vacation." Lee Dojin rubbed his chin while taking a look at the many shadows that crept out. Some creatures lookedical, like the many small monsters made from the shadow of leaves and flowers, while there were others who gave off a different vibe. Most notably, the shadow standing as tall as him, staring daggers into Lee Dojinhis own shadow. Lee Dojin cracked his fingers one by one. He grinned, and a great amount of killing intent wrapped around him, seemingly able to distort the air. "Now that''s more like it. As much as the short-lived peace was, I''ve grown ustomed to fighting." One of the creatures, created from a big dog, growled menacingly, feeling the threat of Lee Dojin from his animalistic instincts. Many other creatures were ready to go too. However, the shadow of Lee Dojin held his hand up, stopping anyone from approaching. it had set itself as the leader. A sharp glint escaped the shadows deep ck pupils, his gaze never wavered away from Lee Dojin. [You have chosen ''Inheritor of the Universe'', the affinity of Choice.] Lee Dojin kept his eyes on the message. In the end, he chose the unknown title. The reason was simple. Even if he took the affinity of light, he''d still just be walking the same steps. The future cannot be changed by repeating the past. Although the affinity was unexpected, that gamble has turned out to be worthwhile. [Evaluation EX] His eyes shot wide open. The evaluation was a simple thing. It wasn''t a strength indicator. An affinity evaluated at D could still beat one evaluated as A. Rather, it indicated the rarity of that affinity. As such they went from E to S. Never in his life had he heard of EX, let alone seen it. "If Evaluation S meant unique in the universe, than EX could only mean unique within all the universes." Lee Dojin balled his fist, his knuckles turning wide. He was sure, this was not a trick set by the system. It was the only legacy his mother had left behind, evidence of her existence, as Xh''Endrada, the Concubine of all things parallel. "Skreeee!" Suddenly, the leading shadow let out a bloodcurdling scream. At once, the surrounding shadows also cried out, and one by one, they started rushing at Lee Dojin. "Motherfudamn, I thought you had some honor to you! In the end, you only waited for me to let my guard down." Lee Dojin barely dodged the first attack. The many flower petals surrounding him turned into sharp des, urately aiming for his vital spots. A small gash appeared on his neck. "I''m only a normal human right now!" Naturally, the shadows cared little about Lee Dojinsins. A group of wild animals jumped at him, trying to bite him. He moved around, fighting the animals off. As they died, they turned into ck ink, dyeing the ground ck. He grabbed one cat and mmed it into another animal. They both shattered into smoke. "Tsk, I wasn''t even done yet." Lee Dojin, within all the turmoil, looked at another window. [Warrior, after choosing your affinity, please choose your skill. In the beginning, you will only be getting one skill. Please choose wisely.] Skills were the backbone of all strength. They were based on ones affinity, which were based on ones life. Thus, everything would soon be designated by skills. It wasn''t wrong to say that these would be the greatest assets in their lives. Choosing wisely was an understatement. It was an issue of life and death. Lee Dojin caught the bird which was just about to pierce through his eye. He squashed the shadow in his hand, and ck liquid dripped off his fingers. "The problem with choosing skills was that the system never gave you a time to rest. How am I supposed to read everything through while these damn shadows kept their barrage going?" It was so for his previous life too. While everyone was confused by the weird windows popping up, the sudden survival quest started, leaving the people too stunned to choose rationally. There was not a single second for them to think, and they could very well make a wrong decision. Many more animals arrived from nowhere, as if there existed a portal close by. Suddenly, he heard a buzzing sound arrive from behind him, a swarm of wasps edged closer. Right behind, there were several trees slowly approaching. [Skill: Parax Steps Tier C, Level 1. Humans live in a 3D world, but see it with 2D eyes. By using the blind spot of the universe, move through the loopholes and shorten distances.] He read through the first skill and was surprised by the evaluation. Judging from the description, he assumed it was a movement skill. Lee Dojin had rather high standards for those, as he was once the bearer of light. There was no thing faster than light, after all. And he really hoped not to waste his first free choice for something worthless. The bees coordinated with the trees. The trees swung their heavy branches, turning them into whips. Every time Lee Dojin dodged them and hit the ground, it split the dirt, flinging it into the air. Meanwhile, the bees would fill in the gaps,nding swift attacks onto his blind spots. Though the damage was less than the trees, it was by no way negligible. And slowly but surely, wounds gathered on his body. [Skill: Absolute Thinking Tier B, Level 1. Through the power of the many universes, the user gains the ability to have increased thinking speed by binding his mind to the other parallel existences.] Lee Dojin wiped his sweat. Thankfully, though the shadows were swifter and sharper, their durability took a dive. Otherwise, he''d never be able to rid himself of those trees, with their tough bark donned as armor. The problem was their sentience, like a hive mind, they worked together, steadily barraging him with attacks. And worst of all, his own shadow stood there, his arms crossed, and only observed. [Skill: Parallel Eyes of ws Tier D, Level 1. With every choice made a new parallel universe is created. The user dives deep to see which. for a short time, the user sees the weak-point of his opponent to strike a critical hit.] "C,B,D. That''s rather low." He analysed the abilities offered. They were all reinforcement spells, so he did not think much about it. There was a reason why the system gave these skills. In a soon-to-be game like world, were there were no stats that could raise strength speed or health, no matter how great the attack power of ones skill was, they were still human. If they could not handle the aftereffects of their skills, then it was useless. The system helped them by giving them basic skill to toughen them. The question now was which one to choose. Meanwhile he destroyed another tree. As his mind was preupied, his shadow started to move. It walked slowly, but the pressure emitted from it was immense. It waved its hand, and a knife appeared, just as ck as the rest of the body. "...That''s kind of unfair." Lee Dojin looked at his own hand, void of any weaponry. However, he smiled. "Unfair for you that is. I am the Unarmed King, and you, a mere copy of me, dares take up a weapon?" Of course, the Shadow did not exchange any words, instead, it jumped forward, trying to stab Lee Dojins eye. He dodged it, and was just about to be disappointed by such a weak attack, when the knife suddenly curled and grabbed his neck. "You piece of shit, do you have no honor?" He quickly got rid of the strangle, but that unexpected weak spot gave time for the other shadows to surround him. One by one, their shapes changed into a veil and wrapped around him. His arms and legs were chained around tightly, immediately immobilizing him. Like a marite that had lost its strings, he fell to the ground. The leaves gathered around his face and sealed his mouth and nose shut. Now he could not even breathe. Only his eyes remained open, and there he saw his shadow with a knife in his hand. "Mphh, mmhp. mhm," Lee Dojin said, but no one understood him. The shadow aimed urately for his eyes and stabbed right through. Feeling that there was no life left in that man, all the shadows dispersed. However, shock overwhelmed them as the corpse that was supposed to be there had disappeared. A sudden voice appeared behind the shadow. "I''ve said I made my choice." There, Lee Dojin stood without any care of the world and patted the dirt of his clothes. Baffled, his shadow swept his head back and as it did so, it felt the many other shadows disintegrating one by one. It could not even see iting. The shadow looked at Lee Dojin, and fear started to bubble up inside its mind. It tried to back away, but just as it wished to take a step, Lee Dojin appeared before him. There were no sound of steps, no signs of teleportation, no fluctuations in the wind. He was just suddenly there, right in front of its face, as if he had always been. Lee Dojin grabbed the shadows head and crushed it in his palm. It, too, turned into a ck liquid. "C rank my ass. If that was only C rank, maybe humanity would not have lost that easily. I suppose that''s what happens if your affinity is evaluated as EX," he said wryly. Lee Dojin now knew why the rank of his skills were too low. It was because they were too powerful. A skill that enhanced ones movement to a degree that their opponent could not see the path at all. It wasn''t as if he had gained superspeed like with his light ability, or warped through space with teleportation, but he moved through the blindspots between the human eye and the world, thus it seemed as if he dissappeared and reappered at the same time. He had chosen his skillParax Steps. He was on the fence on whether he should have gone for Absolute Thinking, as it could prove itself better in the long term with its better rank. But he then realized that his skill was absolutely necessary in one of the future quests. [Congrattions on Completing the Quest. Reward ''Upgrade crystal'' will be issued. Please prepare] And just like the message said, a stone appeared in his hand. But he did not care. Instead, he fell to the ground, his face pointing at the sky. He had felt a throbbing headache after using that skill. "Shit. I''m really back." For the first time, it really hit him that he had returned to the start. He hadplicated emotions welling up inside him. He thought about the people he had left behind. Was his sacrifice worth it? Did they manage to defeat The Mirage? Were they well? His mind swirled with thoughts, some more sentimental than others. He thought about his mother, Athena, n, Miverna and many more that he had lost. He hoped they could forgive him. Even after all this time, he could not give up. Even if it meant starting anew without them. Determination to fight encapsted him. Chapter 8: The Inheritor of the Universe Chapter 8: The Inheritor of the Universe As Lee Dojin found his reason to live in this world, somewhere, in a military bunker stationed in the United States, something else was urring, though it was not entirely unrted to him. [A new Warrior has entered joined The Mirage! Please wee that person.] Charlie awoke out his sleep, as a message popped up in front of him. He nced at the clock next to his monitor and realized it was 2 am. "Hmm, going by that time, someone in Asia?" Charlie yawned. These days, these messages kept appearing in his mind, destroying his sleep cycle. He could not wait for the Trailer to end. Normally, he could have just closed the notification, but there was a reason he could not. As the bookkeeper charged to maintain the records of all new Warriors in the mirage, it was literally his job to record any changes within The Mirage. "Well, unless it was someone random, I doubt many people would activate the trailer in the night." Oh, how tired he was. However, he was not mad. No, in reality, he was incredibly thankful for this opportunity. He was only an ordinary man with little amodations to his name. He joined the military right after school, hoping it could carry his financial burdensever since then, he never really left. While his friends retired one by one, he remained drafted. He missed out on a social life, he missed out on a girlfriend. He hadn''t even been out of the country before. Thest 10 years, he spent fighting. Yet, he had been given the chance to witness the beginning of a new era. "God Bless America," Charlie ced his hand on his chest and muttered solemnly. He looked at his own rank within the trailer. [Rank 2631/6023] It was rather high, percentage wise. But the lower ranks were always the easiest to climb. As he was reminded of the harsh difficulty associated with the Trailer quest, he was sure that half of the people had died. Even he himself would have been a just cold body now, if not for the ample support he had received. When the shadows first appeared, he turned deathly pale, and his eyes bulged out from the sheer shock. Even now, thinking back on it, his Adams Apple kept bobbing up and down as he tried to swallow futilely. Ever since then, he had gone through the Trailer two more times. And he swore he''d never do so again. He''d rather be shot for insubordination than walk the nk again. He was sure, at this moment, the new yer would feel the same way. Thinking that, his eyes turned weary, and he prepared himself to go sleep. However, something happened, making his drowsiness disappearpletely. [Valiant Soldier, Charlie White Affinity: Bullet (C~D) Skills: Cannon Charge (D) Rank 2632/6023] His Status Window was incredibly simple, thus he noticed the error immediately. "I sunk a rank? That cannot be!" He waved the mouse to turn the monitor on. His mind raced, thinking about the possibilities. Did someone in the Upper Ranks die? No, that would make him rise a rank instead! Or was there someone close to his ranks who challenged the Trailer once again? Both had a rather low chance of urring. He opened the ranking list andpared the names one by one. He felt a strain in his eyes as he sifted through old papers. He felt a sense of urgency as hepared the thousands of ranks, one by one, manually. The monitor helped him sort through the names, but in the end, he had to write down everything himself. It was a rather tedious job. "Found it," he said, and stood up from the long table. "Christ Almighty." He opened his mouth and had a hard time closing it. The dim, electronic, light shone upon one paper. There was only one difference, and he noted it down with bold strokes. Rank 989. Inheritor of the Universe. That was a new title, one he had never seen before. That could only mean one thing. It was the new yer that had joined just before. However, that could not be it either. Rank 989; A direct antithesis to that theory. It was physically impossible for a person to jump fromst ce, right towards the triple digits. Again, rising ranks would be harder the higher one was. He himself knew, even if he went to fight the shadows every day, and somehow survived, he would not be confident in reaching 1000. Yet, the facts spoke for themselves. That was why he was scared. An unknown variable had appeared out of nowhere. One that could decide the fate of the world. He dug into his pockets and took out a small round pill. They gave it to him in case he could not handle the solitude. it was wrapped in red, like those little candies he''d gotten as a kid. It was probably to make the pill seem more harmless than it was. He didn''t care about the appearance. He swallowed it, and the fear that crept upon him steadily diminished. "I need to contact my boss," he muttered and searched for his phone within the disorderly table. He went up and walked to the door. The blue light of his monitor shone upon his back as he left. A freezing gust of wind, followed by fine sand, barraged his face as he walked outside. He stood alone in the nk desert, only the full moon gently shining on him. The deste state, mixed with the unobstructed cold, made him feel like he stood alone in the world. He dialed on the numbers, and it rang twice. A man with a Husky voice picked up. "Soldier, report." "Sir..." - "What! I sank in rank? That''s impossible!" Somewhere in Saudi Arabia, a young prince eximed loudly. Hassan stared at his screen in confusion, but the words did not change. He had woken up because of a message from The Mirage. A new Warrior had joined. As he rather liked seeing the many titles the system conjured, he was rather excited to check out who the person was. It wasn''t that hard to find after all, since every person that joined would start with the lowest rank. There, he read the title ''Inheritor of the Universe'', andughed loudly. He was sure the person choosing that affinitywhatever it washad been a fool. After being enlightened by the soon-to-be new world around 2 weeks ago, he''d spent all his allowance in finding out more about the system. Even New Year, which he always looked forward to celebrating, Hassan had skipped in favor of learning more about The Mirage. After extensive studies, he realized one thing: The stronger the title sounded, the weaker it would be. Time and time again, it had proven itself through his test subjects and the change in rankings. The system loved to be mischievous like that. What a foul-hearted spirit. heughed again. Hassan then saw the name disappear. "Oh, did that guy die, or did they rise in ranks I wonder? Either way, that was fast." He scrolled from the bottom and slowly made his way to the top. However, as he kept scrolling upward, theughter in his voice faded away. With the amount of time invested into understanding the system, he hade to understand the ranking instead. He knew, over one-third of the names in the rankings had already perished, but the systems did not remove their entry for some reason. Through that, one could reason that exactly 6023 people had entered The Mirage, whether now dead or alive. However, when one died, no matter, what rank they were before, they would sink below the weakest person that was alive. In essence, the ranking was split in two, one for the dead, and one for those alive. How morbid. Technically, Hassan could artificially raise a persons rank and then kill them, to see how many Warriors were currently within the system. Maybe his brothers would do something like that, but he didn''t. He valued his subjects. But that did not matter currently. "Rank 989! On his first try! What a monster!" Hassan shouted out. He could not believe it. The Inheritor of the Universe... what was the meaning behind this Title? - In an unknown location, a new sect made its roots. They had started only a few weeks ago, but they were unlike any other, for they believed not in ascension, but only on survival. Soon, an unknown power will take over the world, and they had no chance of stopping it. There were only two choices: adapt or perish. The sect built its foundations on that dogma, and it grew strong, finding suitable individuals who supported their cause. "Your most honorable! Your most honorable!" A woman wearing nothing but a white towel walked forward and bowed in front of an old man. Her shoulders shook in fear. "The rankings-" The old man stroked his beard. "I''ve seen." He looked grave, with his wrinkled face crunched together. "Who could he have been? We need to get him on our side, if not," his eyes turned sharp, "eliminate him." - Many more of these reactions urred, hidden from the real world. They all had one burning question: Who was the Inheritor of the Universe? - "That brat, he''ste," Lee Seunhee, Lee Dojins mother,ined to herself. At the same time, while wearing a pink apron, she stared at the charred coal in the metal pot. "Geez, who knew making soup was so hard," she grumbled with her hands on her hips. Chapter 9: Quality and Quantity Chapter 9: Quality and Quantity Lee Dojin held the stone against the sun, a shadow cast on his face. The stone had the form of an egg. It was white, with blue pulsating lines enveloping it, looking like veins. That was the upgrading crystal, an item only found in the Trailer, a soul-bound reward. If the receiver died, the stone would too. And after the trailer had ended, it would disappear soon after. "One of the items I''ve worked so hard for," Lee Dojin talked to himself. "I always wondered what it may have looked like. Having it in my hands now, it feels a littleckluster." But he knew that this little stone was a priceless artifact; The item in his hands could upgrade the rank of a skill. Now, that may not sound impressive to those without know, but if he brought this item back to his old world, wars would have been fought for a hand in this. Thus was the reason why the system probably made it soul-bound. There were two factors that decided a skills strength: Rank and Level. Levels, just like in a game, could be taken as a power indicator. With the rise in proficiency, the level of a skill rises and turns just a little bit stronger. For example, a skill that gave one the ability to jump 15 feet at level 1, might increase to 15.1 feet at level 2. There was no upper limit to how high a level could reach, and with it, how many meters one could jump. Theoretically speaking, the user may reach a point where they could jump hundreds of miles just by leveling up. Now, unlike levels, that all start at 1, ranks possessed an inequality since birth, and they were nowhere near easymaybe even impossibleraise. The difference in ranks were not a simple numerical value. Leveling up, no matter how high, the skill would always be the same. However, if one managed to raise a rank, the skill would undergo an evolution. Taking the aforementioned example. The ability to jump, may just turn into the ability to teleport 15 feet. However, as great the reward, as hard it was to achieve. Unlike a level, one never knew what it took to raise ones rank, except for gaining achievements within The Mirage. If levels were quantitative change, then ranks were qualitative. With time, people would realize there was something even beyond ranks, but that would still take long before being discovered. [Would you like to use the upgrading crystal?] Lee Dojin nodded. He gripped the stone tightly. [Please select your skill to level up.] "Parax Steps," he answered, and as soon as he did, the stone glowed a bright blue and then vanished into little dots, assimting into his body. At the same time, he was excited to find out. How will the system upgrade such an incredibly strong ability? [Congrattions! A skill of yours has achieved a new rank. Please check while opening your status.] [Inheritor of the Universe, Lee Dojin Affinity: Choice (EX) Skills: Cosmic Steps (B) Rank 989/6023] "Seeing such a small status message is really depressing." He thought about his old life, where his titles and skill would make the message reach the ground. Compared to the difference now, it was almost funny. But that was not of essence currently. He was more interested in the skill. [Skill: Cosmic Steps. Tier B, Level 1. Just like humans, the world itself was filled with blind spots. Beyond the 3D, theiry another dimension. Upon activation of the skill, the user will see bright points all over the world. Every point is a node connected with another; This movement technique briefly allows the user to hover between two dimensions and traverse through the nodes. By utilizing what the universe missed, the user has be the only being to see beyond dimensions.] Lee Dojin read the description and gritted his teeth. "Because you''ve killed the only other person who could." He was surprised by the new skill, yet, he also somewhat expected it. After years of using, upgrading, and gaining new skills, he had honed an instinct on telling what a skill may evolve to. And he had turned out somewhat rightthough that didn''t mean the skill astonished him any less. He rubbed his chin. "Well, the best way to understand a skill was to test it." He activated Cosmic Steps. At once, several dots, shining like the stars in the sky, popped up around the field. He looked at his chest, and there, a simr, but much brighter, star glimmered. He walked a step, his eyes focused at one point, and soon, he appeared in that ce, as if he had always been there. He took another step, and then disappeared to another star. With every step, he moved from location to location, as if a ghost, haunting this field. Great astonishment overwhelmed him. He didn''t even need to really move anymore. Just by walking one step, he''d arrive at another. It was as if there were numerous teleportation devices nted into the ground, increasing his agility greatly. Compared to before, where he only tricked the eyes of his opponent and shortening his distance by relying on their senses, this ability truly allowed him to warp from ce to ce. This meant, unlike his previous skill, he could not be stopped by objects between him anymore. He could also skip through non-traversable path, such as ravines,va and poison. Sadly, he had lost the stealth factor that came with Parax Steps, though it was a rather negligible point in the long run. "Shit, this would have been an S Skill at the very least. I can''t imagine what may happen if I keep leveling this power." Goosebumps appeared all over his body as he thought about the limitless possibilities. However, that would be in a time far away. For now, he needed to head home. The Trailer was a repeatable Quest, but could only be once a day. He nned on doing it as often as possible, and hopefully catch up to the front-runners. The upgrading crystal was great, but there was something much more important waiting for him at the top 3 of the rankings. "I think I should head home for now, or else mother is going to be worried," he said, and so he did. As he went back home, he hummed an old song from his childhood, one, he''d always hear passing by an old radio shack. He passed the convenience store again. This time, except for some red smudges, there were none of the delinquents squatting in front of the entrance. Lee Dojin nodded in delight. That was correct, kids these days ought to be upstanding citizens, living within the safety cushion of society. When the First Advent started, they would never see order again, even if they begged for it. Such useless thoughts swirled through his head. He could not help it. Every time he passed the people, the buildings, the shops, he''d feel gleeful as the peace washed through him. Naturally, there was no anxiety for what would soon being. He entered the store, with the automatic doors opening in front of him. There was a pleasant ''ding'' sound as he stepped foot into the ce. He wished to buy more junk food, the kind that did notst long, like chocte, ice cream, chips and more. While there was still a functioning society, Lee Dojin promised himself to indulge in the many pleasures he''d miss not having soon. Most of it rted to food. As he stuffed himself full with Kimbaps, a newsletter entered his sight. He never was the type of person to read things these, but since he could not unlock the phone, he had been rather bored while eating. Ceo of Wayward Pharmaceuticals, Kim Illsang, ns to build third Seoul Tower! Was the the second one not enough? Stocks plummet as shareholders walk away. Lee Dojin tilted his head. "As far as I know, there was no such thing as a second, let alone third, Seoul Tower in my old world." He shoved a whole egg omelette into his mouth, then turned around to a middle-aged sry man sitting in the corner. "Hey you, who''s Kim Illsang?" However, the man quickly nced away, ignoring Lee Dojin. Slurping down his Ramyun and taking his suitcase, the man disappeared as quick as he could. "Tsk, what a rude fellow." He realized that there were still many things he did not know about this world. This parallel universe, as simr as it seemed in the macroscopic viewpoint, had many details that differed greatly from his previous life. Maybe all his ns and knowledge of the future could crumble, just by not talking into ount the differences. "Should I be worried?" Chapter 10: Hanging Out With Mother Chapter 10: Hanging Out With Mother "As expected, rising ranks is a lot harder the higher one is," Lee Dojinined to himself. It''s been around 5 days since he had started to take on the trailer. Naturally, since that day began, he never missed a chance to fight against the shadows. Thanks to that, his skill Cosmic Steps, had leveled up to 2. However, there was one thing he wasn''t satisfied with. [Rank 405/6024] Even after all the hard work, he barely reached the top 500. Now, for ordinary, people, that may seem to be an incredible feat, but sadly, Lee Dojin was anything but ordinary. As a person who once ruled the world and now started anew, anything below first ce wasst. He could not possibly ept that. "Did I miss anything?" Questions and doubts kept popping into his mind. Normally, he''d always trust himself, That''s how he survived, and that was how he will survive. However, seeing he was in a new world, a ce unbeknownst to him, he could not help feel a little disorientated. Even now, he still knew little of this universe created by his mother. The people that resided here, what made this ce differenthe did not have time to find out at all. Lee Dojin cracked his neck. He decided to shove these problems away. Even though he had traveled back in time per see, he didn''t know anything. Of course, he had umted a lot of stories, listened to many people, and carried the legacy of the dead with him (for he was the Lightbringer), but in the end, he was still human. NO matter how strong or wise, his blood remained red. And he could not help not knowing what he did not know. "Mom, do you know who Kim Illsang is?" He asked his mother at dinner. "Oh, that one guy from Wayward pharmaceuticals?" His mother tilted her head. "Well, I obviously don''t know him personally, and I don''t really follow the news. I heard he started as a low-ss boy, just like us, so maybe that''s something worth aspiring to? I don''t really use his products, I''m not an olddy after all." She tightened her apron, a sight Lee Dojin really was not used to see. "Shouldn''t you know better than me? Don''t you go to school with, his niece, that Kim Jyejin or something? You guys always used to y together, why don''t you bring her home again, hoho." His mother giggled while stirring the soup. "Huh? Who? "Come on now, don''t be shy. I know you two had been together since elementary school you know? Your mother is not that forgetful yet! Though I suppose it really has been a long time since I''ve seen you two." His mother huffed. "You haven''t done anything bad to her, have you?" Lee Dojin rubbed his nose. He always did so while thinking. "Interesting," he muttered. "Where does the girl live?" "Oh my, has my Dojin turned so bold already," his motherughed out loud. "How should I know? Anyway, stop thinking of useless thoughts and eat your kimchi fried rice. Don''t you think it is delicious?" "Delicious?" He stared at the ck-burned meat, the undercooked rice, and the rubbery egg. He shoveled the food down his mouth. "It''s more than that, I''ve never eaten anything better." "You tter me, boy," his mother joked, but her rosy cheeks behind her cold facade revealed her true thoughts. The duo passed these peaceful days like that. As Lee Dojin wished, he indulged in a peaceful lifestyle. At times, he even felt a pang of inexplicable guilt, thinking he did not deserve it. Every time hey on his soft bed, he thought about his fallenrades, and wondered if they''d be mad at him, enjoying such luxury after death? Even when he looked at his mother, though he felt happy, deep in his mind, he''d remember thest breaths she breathed as he touched her cold face. He shook his head to forget these useless thoughts. It was a new change. Wallowing in self-depreciation would help no one. "Mom, how about we go out today? Since it''s one rare day you have no work, after all." "Out where?" She asked with curiosity. As far as she remembered, her son had never been the boy to suggest that. "What do you need, dear?" Lee Dojin shook his head. "Nothing at all. I just thought that maybe we could walk the food off. While we are at it, look at new clothes. Maybe at Yeoungdeoungpo Station; things were always cheap there, as far as I remember." Her brows wrinkled slightly. "Oh, but it is so cold outside." "Then do you not wish to go?" "That''s not what I said at all," she replied with a smile. "What a day. Oh Dojin, my Child of light, since when have you gotten so proactive?" Hearing how she referred to him, Lee Dojin felt his heartache in silence. "Well, you never know when the world might end." His motherughed loudly. "Oh, you and your jokes." She put the kitchen utensils down. "So, let''s go. What are you waiting for?" There were several reasons why he wished to invite his mother out. For one, it was his mother that granted him his ability, even though right now she may not remember that. To raise the level of a skill did not always mean to simply keep using it. One had to understand it, study it, and breathe it. Thus some people may not raise a level a year, while others jumped twice a day. His mother, as the Concubine of All Things Parallel, was the perfect guide for that. However, more than that, he wanted to spend the times he had missed with her. Even during the apocalypse, he had wondered what life would have been like if they had met under normal circumstances. No, maybe they''d have not met at all without The Mirage. There was a hint of irony that the system that killed him would also be the one to save him. They put on their jackets and walked outside. There weren''t many people strolling around, as the winter cold was too much to bear. The wind kept prickling his skin, warm vapor shot out his mouth, and the sight was foggy. Yet, Lee Dojin did not mind at all. "Oh, Dojin, since when have you had your hair like that?" Lee Dojin''s mother brushed his face. She wondered about his trademark bangs, which he had now parted in the middle, revealing his pale face. "I like it this way. I can see your beautiful eyes. These days, I''ve been wondering if there was something on your mind, but it doesn''t seem to be the case. I''m d." She crossed her fingers and let out a rare smile. "Don''t worry mother," he said, not realizing he had addressed her formally, instead of the endearing ''mom''. "You won''t have to worry again." She shook her head. The two of them entered the subway. "I never did. You''re big and strong after all. I do believe that my Dojin has the ability to be whatever he wants to be. So don''t worry about me and live your life, since your possibilities are endless." His mother always believed that one should live the life they wanted, regardless of one''s consequences. Such thoughts were natural for her since after all, she was an outer god. Just as humans could not understand a deity''s whims, Gods sometimes fail to understand a human. The past Lee Dojin did not understand. He tried carrying the burdens of the missing father, the poor mother, and the lonely son. He resented his mother, but also knew he could not hold it against her. In the end, the weight was too much to bear and swallowed him whole. Lee Dojinughed bitterly. "Just like there are endless universes out there, I suppose." "Hmm, that would not be quite right," his mother mumbled. "There aren''t actually limitless universes. If there were really no limit to the universe, then that must mean there should be a universe connected to all other universes. But then there would also need to be a universe connected to none at all. Those two universes coexistingthat is logically not possible, don''t you think? See, a parallel universe forms only because of a divergence in choices. Thus, changes that are not based on choice cannot exist. No one made a choice for gravity to exist. No one decided the structure of the stars. No one made time move the way it does. See, just like there are infinite numbers between 0 and 1, does not mean you could find any letters or hieroglyphs in there. Yet, it still is infinity. Strange is it not? So, in other words, your potential, which is not inhibited by boundaries, is greater than the universe. Or at least that''s what I believe." She joked. "What, why are you looking at me like this?" Lee Dojin stared at her, dumbfounded. After a long time, he muttered. "...Really, I knew it was the right choice to spend time with you." [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] Chapter 11: Strength Chapter 11: Strength "Thank you," Lee Dojin said. They arrived at a big shopping mall. The ce was several stories tall, with many different vendors selling cheap clothing. With their budget, this was all they could afford. "For what?" "Hmm." He rubbed his chin. "For everything, I guess." His motherughed. "What? Why now? It sounds like you are going to war or something." Lee Dojin nced away. "Maybe I am. Nah, I''m joking," he alsoughed with her. "I just felt like saying it sometimes. Can I not?" "Don''t sweat it. I''m your mother after all." She turned silent. "Don''t do anything you might regret afterward." "No worries." He wrapped his arm around his mother''s neck, and with a grin that showed his canines, he told her, "I''m strong, after all." "Oh dear, oh dear. I got it." She brushed hisment off and ced it in the back of her mind. "Instead of strong, why don''t you show me your other qualities. You never buy me anything." "Uhm." He scratched his head in embarrassment. "To be honest, I used up all my money already. I spent it on snacks." "What? Everything? Like, ''whole month'' everything? The year''s just begun!" His mother looked at him in shock, her eyes opened wide. "Well, I suppose fiscal responsibility is not part of my strong suit." "Hah, how can you be strong when you don''t even know how to handle your finances? You know a hero doesn''t take money so how can he spend it?" His mother scolded him. Lee Dojin lowered his head. "I''m sorry." The action of lowering his head felt ratherical to him. His mother sighed. "I''m just messing with you. Did I not tell you? Enjoy your life the way you want. Don''t be a hero, be yourself. I don''t mind, so you don''t mind me either. You can be as great as you want to be, sacrifice as much as you want. but in the end, we all die alone, don''t we? Alright, that was a bit morbid, I''m sorry." She stuck her tongue out, a cheeky expression. "Lee Dojin. Are you enjoying life?" "Right now? I could not be happier." He grinned wildly. His mother nodded quietly. The two of them started shopping merrily. Though they did mostly window shopping as they had to live frugally, it was still fun walking around and enjoying life for what it was. They passed many different peoplecouples, families, friendsall searching through the many clothes, talking, and smiling. If Lee Dojin was a hero, that would be what he''d be fighting for; he thought that to himself. His mother, who observed him from the side, let out an admiring whistle. "How about something like this," his mother asked. She ced the long ck dress on her shoulder and twirled. Seeing the woman, one of the strongest beings in the universe, and a face cold as ice, act like that, Lee Dojin was at a loss on how to reply. "Oh youngdy, these clothes look great on you!" The old man selling the dress told her. "But with your appearance, I suppose everything looks good!" "Should we buy it I wonder?" His mother ced her palm on her cheek and deeply. Lee Dojin on the other hand thought that if she needed so much time to decide, then it probably was not right in the first ce. A couple who had just been passing by suddenly turned to his mother. "Oh, Unnie is so beautiful," the girlmented. "But I think white suits you better." Lee Dojin looked at the strangers that had barged in, his face full of question marks. Did he know these people? Judging by his mother''s equally confused face, that would be a no. The girl continued. "I know a store just around here, why don''t we go." The guy, seeing Lee Dojin in a daze, quickly walked to him and moved his face close. He had orange dyed hair, had piercings in his ears, and wore sunsses in the winter. "Hey, sorry for the bother, my name is Kim Taewon," he whispered into Lee Dojin''s ear. "I''m not someone shady I promise, but don''t buy anything from that guy. My girlfriend there got scammed by himst month." He then pointed at the dress. "See how thin it is? that thing turns see-through when wet. I promise you, that''s not something you want I believe." Heughed. "At least not unintentionally." Lee Dojin nodded, seeing the dress and how it already appeared transparent, the man might have been telling the truth. "Hmm, the people here are really friendly." A far cry to all the betrayal that would start soon when the First Advent began. He then urged his mother not to purchase the dress, much to the vendor''s disappointment. The friendly couple also bid farewell with that. Arriving at the upper floors, there was the food court, with many different delicious dishes. Tonkatsu, Sakedon, Kimchijigae, Bibimbap, Jjajangmyeon, Sushieverything you could think of, they had. Seeing all this delicious food, Lee Dojin began involuntarily drooling. "If you want to, we can eat something before leaving," Lee Dojin''s mother said, amid all the bustle of people ordering food and finding ces to eat. The smell of all the different food was tantalizing, clouding his senses. Man was governed by food after all. "But... I don''t have any money." Lee Dojin showed his empty hands as if to indicate how little he had. "Excuse me, who do you think you are talking to? What mother can''t feed her son?" She huffed and ced her hands on her hips. "Well, if you really insist." Lee Dojin wiped the drool off his mouth. "I''m not insisting." "...Please buy me something to eat mom." His mother grabbed her purse and with a proud face said, "Of course dear." At once, the two of them looked for food. His mother returned with a sd. Meanwhile, Lee Dojin filled the table with Sushi, a fried pork chop, soup, kimchi, two bowls of rice, and a bowl of fresh salmon. His mother stared at the table filled to the brim. "You don''t hold back, do you? I was sure your growth phase has already passed, no?" "Is there something wrong with that," he asked her as he stuffed the whole Porkchop into his mouth. Sauce dripped down his lips. "Not at all." His mother took a few bites off her sd, but she could not concentrate, watching her son wolf down on the food as if he hadn''t eaten for weeks. She felt like she knew why her son had gotten a stomachache these days. "I''m satisfied," Lee Dojin said while holding his big belly. At the same time, his mother looked at her empty wallet in silence. If he still wasn''t satisfied, she may have just beaten him up. "Huh? What do you mean you can''t pay it? You already put it on!" A sudden scream interrupted the serenity of the mall. A younger voice echoed from the shop right next to Lee Dojin and his mother. "You are being too much. I just wanted to see if they fit me. I didn''t even do anything to it." "What do you mean do anything? You touched it, so you might have ruined the product you know?" Screams kepting from the shop, scaring away any potential customers. "Fuck, every single one of you. I''m nevering to this damn mall again!" a girl shouted. "I don''t care where you go, but first" Someone growled. "you have to pay up! It''s 350.000 Won. If not, there will be many different expenses." "Are you threatening us?" "There really are all kinds of people, huh," Lee Dojin''s mother said as she listened to the voices. "And why do they have to sound so stereotypical all the time?" Hemented, thinking about these ''bullies'' he had just beaten up. Now it was gangsters? Had he gotten a level up and entered a new zone? "Also, don''t the victims sound kind of simr?" He soon found out why. Passing by the loud shop, he saw the couple from the beginning, surrounded by a few big men. Vice-versa, the nervous couple saw Lee Dojin too but quickly pretended not to see anything. "Hmm, these two really are nice, contrary to their looks." He closed his jacket. "Well, let''s take them by that offer, shall we? Wait, no. there goes my habit again." Lee Dojin clicked his tongue. "At times like these, I should save them, no?" He held his mother''s hand then approached the shop. She only sighed. Was her son up to something foolish? He never seemed to be that type. New Year really changed him after all. "Hey, is there no police in this world? how will you handle business if you send your customers into the hospital? This whole thing seems like bad marketing, you know?" "Shut the hell up!" An older gentleman, with tattoos running up to his neck, shouted. "Bad marketing? What do you know? With these two pests around I won''t earn a single penny! Every day, they keep talking bad stuff about my business; Tell you what. this ce is doomed anyway, I have nothing to lose." "That''s because you keep ripping people off!" The girl screamed. "These products literally fall apart after 2 days!" "Get lost! Everyone does that!" The man waved his hand. "You know what. You neer, you better take your girlfriend away before you get hurt." "Actually, I am his mother." Her sentence turned everyone silent. After a long while, the middle-aged manughed loudly, his goons followed right after. "What a joke! Did you have him when you were eight? Damn, everyone''s taking me for a fool. I changed my mind, I''m not letting you all go." He stood up and walked towards these two, in his hand a wooden pole. "Will you be safe?" She stared at him. Behind her cold faade hid worry. "Stop ignoring me." The man swung the pole like a bat. "Fucker, let me smash that pretty-looking face of yours first." Lee Dojin didn''t pay any attention to him; instead, he calmly grinned at his mother, as if he wasn''t even there. Feeling a vein pop, the man saw only red and swung the pole. "No worries." He sped his hand over his mother''s eyes, obscuring her sight. The wooden rod fell, aiming for his face. Lee Dojin swiftly lifted his foot, grazing the pole and diverting it to the ground. The man stunned that his attack had missed, did not know how to react. Lee Dojin stomped on the pole, breaking it apart. And while the man was still surprised, he spun, and through the added momentum, kicked the man''s neck (spit spurting out his mouth, eyes plus hair tremoring, and a loud impact noise), who promptly went limp and ragdolled to the ground. Lee Dojin slicked his ck hair back. "I''m strong, after all." Chapter 12: Monster, He Was Chapter 12: Monster, He Was "What just happened," his mother brushed his hand away, just to see the manying on the floor. Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders, as if confused, and said, "He must have gotten tired." However, unlike the clueless mother, the people around him had all seen the spectacle unfold. Kim Taewon and his girlfriend''s eyes trembled like an earthquake. The hooligans around them stepped back and shouted. "Jangwoon!" "What the hell happened? Did anyone see what happened?" "Jangwoon, Jangwoon. Stop joking around, stand up!" Dong Kanwaek, A bushy-bearded man and wearing a ck suit, stared at Lee Dojin dumbfoundedly. "What did you do," he asked, his tone low. His sight moved towards his friend Ih Jangwoon, whose neck had a dark-red bruise and turned swollen. He grimaced, thinking about the pain. "It''s simple, really." Lee Dojin shrugged, then licked his lips. "I put an overconfident idiot back into his ce." "You bastard!" Dong Kanwaek stopped his shouting friend with a gesture. "Look, we don''t really want to fight. It''s just a scare tactic. How about you take a step back today and we forget about what happened. If the police get involved, you would not like that either, right? You are young and seem to have a bright future ahead." His words surprised the goons. However, Lee Dojin''s reply astonished them even more. "What if I don''t want to?" Dong Kanwaeks brows knitted. "Is it because of these two? Are they your friends? I don''t really think so. If not, then why are you helping them?" "A whim." Lee Dojin rubbed his head. "No, it maybe it serves a greater purpose? I don''t know either. It''s too philosophical, I ain''t good with these things. But if I had to describe it... it''s like a king who holds a festival to bless his subjects. After aplishing everything, you just gotta see the world from below once more, you know?" Dong Kanwaek slowly folded his sleeves up. "You''ll find yourself in a lot of tragedy if you keep this way of living." "It''s fine." Lee Dojin chuckled and dismissed him with a wave. "You guys are weak after all." "Son of a bitch!" One guy jumped forward, enraged by Lee Dojin''s arrogant attitude. Dong Kanwaek tried stopping him, but he already ran forward. "You should respect your elders!" He swung his hand, at Lee Dojin. "You know, I was just thinking the same thing." Lee Dojin caught his hand. His nce sent shivers down the uncle''s spine, it was as if he stared into the maw of a beast. He tried to run away, but could not retract his hand, as if he had gotten stuck in a rock. "Based on experience and soul, I''m way older than you." Lee Dojin took a step back. He formed a fist, his arm bulged, and even his knuckles turned white. "Now clench your teeth." His fist flew, almost letting out a whistle, and buried itself in the uncle''s stomach, just below the chest. Pain, as great as a white nova, exploded up the man''s body, and he felt his feet slightly lift off the ground. A feeling, burning like fire, came right after, creeping from below and out his mouth, and his spit flew everywhere. He tried moving back despite having a hard time breathing, but Lee Dojin''s fist came flying down again, this time from above, knocking down on his head. He fell to the ground, face-up, into his own saliva, then bounced up, then fell down again, until he stopped moving. "Kyah!" One onlooker screamed, but that was it. Thankfully, at this time, there weren''t many people around. Seeing another friend fall, a few more goons lost their reasoning and charged at the assant. Lee Dojin, however, crushed them one by one. He did not bother dodging their attacks, only blocking then countering. Soon after, two morey on the ground. "Hmm, I remember now. Even in my previous life, even before the apocalypse, I used to get into a lot of fights. That''s why, at the start, one of the three affinities I could have chosen was..." He held one person by the neck. His countenance turned frosty. "The Natural Disaster, with the affinity of tornadoes." Dong Kanwaek observed the people who slowly gathered, wanting to see what themotion was about. Even if it weren''t many, it didn''t mean there were zero. "Stop the cameras from filming!" The onlookers were quickly shooed away. Lee Dojin watched the spectacle unfold. "How will you guys handle the aftermath?" He then nced at the couple who was holding each other, terrified. "And how''d you guys get in such arge mess?" "...Hyung, I think most of it is now your fault." Kim Taewon said, his voice shaking. He hadn''t even realized it, but he had changed the form of address towards that young man. Dong Kanwaek, unbuttoned the top part of his shirt. He replied, "Worry about yourself, will you?" Lee Dojin moved forward. "And why should I?" He aimed a kick at Dong Kanwaeks face, but only hit thin air. Lee Dojin whistled in surprise. "Finally a guy with some backbone in here. I was getting worried about humanity for a second." "Guessing by the proficiency, you must be somewhat skilled in martial arts, right? It''s always cocky youngsters like you that fall the loudest. You have no idea what it means to fight a real, life-threatening battle." The guy grabbed Lee Dojin''s ankle. He then took a pocket knife out of his jacket and shed Lee Dojins''s face. "Has your teacher not taught you that modern arts are just sports and cannot really be used in real fights?" Lee tilted his head slightly to the left and barely avoided the de. "Good thing I don''t practice that." A feeling of bloodlust overwhelmed him as he grinned wholeheartedly. Dong Kanwaek felt his skin break into goosebumps. He immediately faltered backward. A feeling of dread overcame himand he soon knew why. "Are you some kind of monster?" His voice trembled a little. The boy, he was too calm, dealing with a weapon. There was no way that was possible. Even some of his older friends will feel threatened by a knife or gun. It''s nothing to be embarrassed about, just instincts. Yet, the boy who was barely half his age, stood unfazed. Only someone crazy could feel this calm. "That''s awfully rude, don''t you think." Lee Dojin chopped down at Dong Kanwaeks face. Dong Kwantaek managed to block it by a hair''s breadth. "Damn, he actually got faster!" And probably stronger too, as he felt the iing weight crush him. Indeed, that guy was a monster. The attacks did not cease, instead, they grew faster and sharper, aiming for his weak spots. Even with a knife in his hand, he could somehow not keep up. Who was this boyso young, yet still so deadly? How was this possible? Badum, Badum, he could feel his heart racing fast. Lee Dojin felt a different kind of surprise. There really was someone who could block him, even if for a short time. Interesting. He could not remember a guy like him in his previous world, was he a new resident, or had his potential been cut short in the alternate universe? It was impossible to tell, for now. "Well, I''m a little busy, so let''s end this, shall we?" As he said so, the air seemed to have changed. "What the fu" As Dong Kanwaek spat out his curses, Lee Dojin''s long finger poked his Adam''s apple. It was like a gentle touch, yet, he immediately felt his breath being constricted. At this moment, he realized, that boy- no, that man, was not some kind of martial artist or any honorable fighter. He was a man born from death, from war, and from murder. Dong Kwantaek tried to cough, but nothing came out. At this point, Lee Dojin''s moves were hard to follow with one''s eyes. It was natural, he had once reached the peak of unarmedbat, and even though he now used an untrained body as a vessel, he still lived, breathed, and bled the martial arts he practiced. It would be weird if that was not the case. He mmed his fist in Dong Kwantaeks chin, ribs, and leg, who then faltered, as his knees buckled down. In the end, Lee Dojin delivered a kick, clean and swift, right at his opponent''s ear. It rattled. And that was the end. "Fuu." Lee Dojin breathed out. He stared at Dong Kwantaek,ying on the ground immobilized. "That was rather interesting. For a mortal, he wasn''t bad." Dong Kwantaek wanted to react, but he did not know how. And he already had no power left. An incredible presence weighted upon him, stifling any rebellion, and pressed his shoulders down. A scream interrupted his soliloquy: "Don''t move any closer!" Lee Dojin turned around, only to see a younger man with a box-cut holding his mother hostage. He held her by the wrist, and in his hand, there was a small knife, the size of a finger. Dong Kwantaek stared at his friend and almost screamed out in utter shock, seeing him act like a fool. If he could, he would have loved to run away from that beast, but this guy was provoking him? His mother looked at Lee Dojin and said, "Sorry, looks like I''ve been caught." "Aren''t you taking this too nonchntly? What if you get hurt," he said with an almost exasperated voice. "That will be the choice I''ve made then." The young man screamed out loud, "Shut up!" He never felt this disrespected before. His grip tightened around the knife. His trembling slowly turned into confidence, feeling like he had the upper hand. "You, if you don''t want your mother to get hurt, take your stuff and leave!" Lee Dojinughed dryly. "Who would have thought I would need to use a skill against someone who had none? Have I turned that pathetic?" He felt rather weak at this moment. What an incredible joke that was. Still, good or bad, it was a good chance to see what exactly the level up entailed. He was about to shout, but "Noona, run away now!" Kim Taewon suddenly jumped the man and held his leg. The man, infuriated, stomped on him, hoping to get rid of this pest. But Kim Taewon stubbornly resisted, even when a knife was pointed at him. "What a funny guy," Lee Dojinughed (his eyes opened wide), for the first time since long, with full authenticity. It was like a heavy weight crumbled off his shoulders. In this world, there were still selfless and optimistic people around. He breathed in to calm his mind. "Cosmic steps," he whispered. At that point, Dong Kwantaek, who remained on the ground, wound up seeing something he''d never dare dream and now would never forget in his lifetime. The man he fought disappeared as if swallowed by the air, and before he noticed, he stood in front of the woman he referred to as a mother and his friend holding a knife. "So leveling up, for now, gives me more stars to ess," Lee Dojinmented. He also found out something rather interesting; Just like him, his mother had a bright star glowing within her. Meanwhile, the other people around had no such thing. Why was that? He did not understand. Obviously, his mother was different. That went without saying, as the woman who owned this particr universe. But to level up his skill (and God forbid, earn a new one) he''d had to understand the mechanism behind it. But for now, he settled with pummeling the man who held his mother hostage. He was never good with these things that required thinking after all. Chapter 13: The Man From the Future Chapter 13: The Man From the Future "Hyung what was that? that was awesome!" Kim Taewon stared at Lee Dojin with newfound admiration; At the same time, he shadowboxed into the air, trying to imitate his moves. His girlfriend was a lot more sensible, apologizing first for the problem they had created, with her head lowered deep. "I''m sorry, you know, Taewon has this tendency of starting reckless fights. I usually don''t stop him, but on rare asions, it ends up like this. I don''t know how he does it either, maybe it''s his style" the woman looked at her boyfriend and sighed deeply. "Honestly I get it." "And don''t worry about it. That was a great after-meal workout. So I''m rather thankful." The mother nodded in full agreement. "If my son says he''ll solve it, then he''d solve it. He''s no man to go retract his words." She looked like a proud mother. Well. She was a proud mother. The girl felt her eyes twitch. The infamous hooligans he had just one-sidedly beaten were no more than a simple workout for him? Based on how casual he appeared, that seemed not like a lie, but that made her feel all the more incredulous. And what the hell was wrong with that mother of his? The two-person family before her seemed like an enigma to her. "My name is Yoo Dahee. May I know yours?" "I''m Lee Dojin," he answered. "Lee Seunhee," his mother, too, answered. Kim Taewon nodded at the two, then looked at the many peopleying on the ground. "Uhm, Hyung, maybe we should leave before things go out of hand." Though he himself believed that things had long gone out of hand already. "I know a good ce, if you want to, may I invite the two of you for some dinner?" His eyes lit up as he asked. Lee Seunhee replied first. "I''m sorry, thank you for the invitation, but we''ve" "Actually, that sounds like a great idea!" Lee Dojin his mother off. He took Kim Taewons hand and nodded enthusiastically. His mother was at a loss for words, seeing his gluttonous son act like that. "Didn''t you just eat?" "So?" "...Nothing." Kim Taewon grinned and looked at his girlfriend, Yoo Dahee, who in turn nodded. "Great, then why don''t we go to Hana Barbeque right around the corner?" Kim Taewon led them out with a broad smile. Lee Dojin''s mother gasped in shock, however. "What the barbeque around the station? The big one right next to TK-mall? Isn''t that too expensive?" She eyed the youngster in front of him. Though he appeared shy, with his dyed hair and piercing, he didn''t seem like he possessed a lot of money. "Noona, please don''t worry about that! Your son saved my life, I owe him at least that much." He walked over the unconscious people on the ground while doing so. Lee Dojin, while listening, did not really know how to butt in. He had never heard of these ces, whether they existed in his previous life or not. He had never been rich enough to enjoy such luxuries, and by the time the apocalypse began, he had other things to worry about. Be it as it may, a barbeque sounded great. In the past, he''d always watch from outside, the bright lights, the chattering customers, the rising smoke, and that savory aroma of grilled meat; even just thinking about it made him salivate. His mother sighed, realizing it wasn''t possible to change his son''s mind. She followed the three people outside. The sun had slowly begun to set. At times like these, the night really crept in fast. One minute, the light shone upon the people, and the next, it disappeared as if non-existent, leaving everyone only with the pale moon and the stars. Yoo Dahee walked center, and she asked Lee Dojin what he had done for New Years''. Well, for one, he had died. But that wasn''t something he could say now, was it? No, instead, he replied, "Nothing too notable, really, I was with my family and we all celebrated together. There were some friends with me, but that was it. I''d say, rather peaceful." The girl thought for a moment. "Hmm, that''s rather hard to believe seeing how you handled the bad guys over there." "Dahee!" Kim Taewon shouted. For a second, his face went pale. It was because of his girlfriend''s loose mouth that they''d always end up in trouble. Of course, his Dahee thought otherwise, as she believed it was her boyfriend''s provocative looks that got them targeted all the time. Sufficed to say, they had gotten through many ups and downs in their rtionship. Lee Dojin wasn''t the person to mind these details. "What have you done?" "Well, it''s ratherplicated," Yoo Dahee chuckled wryly. "You see, we spent New Year''s Eve with just the two of us, and we walked through the streets and watching all the beautiful fireworks when suddenly some kids threw a firecracker our way. Of course, seeing that we weren''t people to take such disrespect, Taewon started to squabble with those kids." She sighed. "Next thing I know, we were chased by an angry mob of parents." "You two seem to pull aggro quite often." She shook her head. "No, please don''t think that. I swear, it never happened before. I don''t know, maybe it''s because the stars have changed or something, but even the two of us had never gotten involved in this much drama." "Who knows." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe it''s also something else entirely." "Here we are," Kim Taewon said, and stopped at a huge restaurant. "Hope the walk wasn''t too cold. But even if, the food here will warm you right up, I promise! It''s to die for." Lee Dojin whistled in amazement. He now understood why his mother had been hesitant on following Kim Taewon to this ce. One look at the sceneryvaluable porcin, goldencquer, individuals wearing fancy clothesand one could tell this ce was for the rich. In other words, a ce Lee Dojin would have never frequented. Meanwhile, Kim Taewon had gotten a table already. He seemed used to doing this stuff. Taking a seat and then ordering, Kim Taewon started chatting. In his hand, he held a bottle of soju and mixed it with his beer. He had taken a few shots already, and with it, his initial hesitance had all washed away. "Hyung, howe you are so strong, are you some kind of martial artist?" He imitated Lee Dojin''s moves and punched in the air. "No, I don''t do anything like that. Well, none that you are used to seeing." "What, are you some underground fighter? UFC? Or are you part of an illegal ring?" Kim Taewon asked. "Don''t tell me you have ties with the mafia?" "Taewon!" Yoo Dahee stared daggers into her boyfriend. "His mother is right next to us." That seemed to have sobered him up. He quickly lowered his tone. "Oh, sorry, sorry. I was just joking." He lowered his head. "Noona just looks so young, I can''t help thinking we are the same age. I apologize." Lee Yeunhee chuckled. "No need to. It''s apliment after all." Everyone continued talking, sometimes about mundane topics, sometimes about more serious ones, but the atmosphere had always been merry. For Lee Dojin, it was the first time after death that he could do something this rxing, without worrying about where to head next. It felt like a day of rest within a lifelong war. As the food began to be served, and they put the juicy red meat on the tter, a sharp sizzling sound escaped together with a lovely charred smell. Lee Dojin ate as much as he could, from rice and side tters to the expensive beef and green vegetables. Kim Taewon, who had been cing the meal on the grill, put his beer down. "Seriously, Hyung, thank you for saving us today. I''m not sure how I could have escaped the predicament without you." He bowed his head. "And also, I apologize. If these people went after you, if anything were to happen because of me, I''d not be able to live life with a good conscience." "It''s fine. There is no one stronger than me. Also, please don''t call me Hyung. I''ll start to feel old." Lee Dojin ced rice into his cabbage and wrapped it up with some pork belly. "In return, continue doing good. Having a conscience, that''s already better than many. Better than me. That''s enough." Kim Taewon sighed. "That''s no request, is it? Following my morals, that''s what every human does is it not?" "Trust me. It will be a lot harder than you can imagine. No, maybe even impossible." Lee Dojin ced his bowl down. "You''d be surprised how we take ''making our own decisions'' for granted." "Lee Dojin." Kim Taewon narrowed his eyes. "Who really are you?" "If I told you I knew the future, would you believe me?" He drank his ss of water. Sadly, he was not of age to drink alcohol yet. "If I told you, soon this world ising to an end, reality and fantasy would have no borders, death was to descend, and there was no one who could stop it, would you believe me?" Kim Taewon looked at Lee Dojin. He gulped. Then heughed. "What? Like something out of a cheap web novel you mean? Oh, yes, that would be a catastrophe. People like me who have no talent would perish without anyone remembering. Though I''m sure you''d be fine." He took another shot "Yet, for some reason, that''d also be interesting, I believe. Like a chance to prove myself, since I have no goal in life anyway. So what is there to lose?" Lee Dojin smiled. He knew that feeling well, actually. "This might be one of the reasons the system chose us as its next target." "The what?" Kim Taewon tilted his head. "Nothing," Lee Dojin said. "I''m just bbering to myself." Kim Taewon did not mind at all, since by that point he had gotten a small buzz, even his cheeks had started to redden. "Hey, are you free tomorrow? If you want I" "Oops. I have to stop you there." Lee Yeunhee, his mother, butted in. She ced her chopsticks down. "Since he as school tomorrow." "He has what?" "I have what?" His mother continued. "And don''t even tell me your tummy aches, I''ve seen how you downed the food. With an iron stomach like yours, I bet you''d be immune to poison." Chapter 14: The Mirages Ideals Chapter 14: The Mirages'' Ideals In the end, Lee Dojin exchanged numbers with the couple. He didn''t really want to, but since the two insisted, there was no way for him to decline. Thankfully, he was able to unlock his phone at a store, or it would have ended in a rather awkward situation. Lee Dojin walked with a bag on his back. He didn''t really have a destination. No, that wasn''t quite right. He had a ce to be, but he did not know how to get there, thus, he was left aimlessly wandering through the city. It didn''te to his mind to simply ask his mother. Or maybe, in his heart, he simply did not wish to go to school. Not only would it be rendered obsolete in a week, but he alsojust like the past Lee Dojindid not have fond memories of education. In the past, he''d always wound up in fights. Some, the people provoked him, some, he started himself, and at one point, there was not even a reason anymore. He fought, he fought, as if to prove something, new people challenged him, some stronger, though he still beat them. And in the end, he stood above as one can see, that was not what education was about. He dropped out in ninth grade. Lee Dojin walked through an empty alley, past an abandoned building, into an overgrown garden. There, the noises of a loud city were hardly to be heard. The air here felt fresh, though he may have simply imagined it. There stood an old shack, moss growing in on the wall, the bolts long broken, and the door rotten away. Here, he prepared to fight the shadows again, hoping to rise in ranks. There were actually quite a few tricks on how to fight them efficiently, though the system hadn''t talked about it. For one, though human shadows were, in general, a lot stronger, they still wielded the same points as the shadow of a bug. The system trapped the yer by suggesting them to fight against stronger monsters (as it may seem obvious since it brought a rise in level and stronger enemies yield greater rewards, right?), though, in the end, all that mattered were the quantity. Many times, things were not as they seemed within The Mirage. For this reason, Lee Dojin sought out uninhabited ces, that also carried many shadows, maximizing on quantity instead of quality. Secondly, the higher the sun, the deeper the shadows, the more they''d be separated from each other. It wouldn''t be rare that a yer misunderstood the systems function, and tried to fight the shadows in the night, since, in the end, shadows are the absence of lightwhich the night had an abundance of. However, such foolish thoughts would lead one straight to death, as the giant entity would swallow them whole in no time. And even if, by some miracle, they survived, the points would be abysmally low, as the system quantified the many shadows in one. Thus, when the sun was the highest, and the borders of the shadows clearly defined, that was the best time to tackle this quest. though exceptions are to be made. But that is for another time. Lee Dojin stretched his limbs. He had learned to do so since he started fighting, and he never forgot to do so since then. At first, it was to calm his nerves, but now, it came to him like breathing, even though at a certain pointwhen his body surpassed a mortal''s limitsit became obsolete. Shadows started to gather around him. The small things were rather cute to look at like they were the spirits resting within the objects. Of course, there were other bigger shadows too, and in the forefront, he stood there again. However, no matter what came, Lee Dojin would crush them with ease. He activated Cosmic Steps, the now rather familiar stars appeared in front of him, waiting to be grasped. He traveled through the world, no sound, no smell, no light, and no wind came as he moved. Yet, every time he did, a wave of shadows turned to ck dust, obliterated, and returned to earth. [A skill has leveled up!] Lee Dojin reached for a star, and in his hand, he then held his shadow''s neck. For that shadow, it must have felt like space and time itself distorted for him to arrive here. It could not express its feelings, yet one saw the raw shock it felt. Truly, an ability that brokemon sense. It was easily crushed, the neck turning into ck ink, following after the corpses of his brethren. Now, the Quest in the trailer was a lot different from any other quest about toe. To give a little insight, Lee Dojin still remembered the first day of the First Advent. He remembered where he was, whom he was with, what he ate, and even what the ce smelled. The haunting memory would never leave him, even after death. Since the Beginning, without fail, The Mirage would create a dome around a random part of Earth. There, people could enter, but never leave, unless the conditions of The Mirage had been fulfilled. Certainly, that was not like this Trailer quest at all. Lee Dojin silently wiped his hand. He had risen another 50 ranks. After the fight, he evaluated his choices. Though he had gotten used to the ability now, he still felt a throbbing headache after its activation. Every time he moved,plex ideas of shifting dimensions and moving particles that he himself did not truly understand, entered his head. It was only his inhuman battle sense that helped him control Cosmic Steps by instinct. Many people tried to rationalize the system''s behavior, especially when it came to the Trailer, though there were few witnesses and most of them were of a rather dubious nature. In the end, they settled with the idea that The Mirage at that time was only testing whether the humans had the potential to act as host. But Lee Dojin had a different assumption. An entity that had swallowed countless civilizations and even murdered his mother needed to trial-run its horrorshow on mere humans? No, that was highly unlikely. This Trailer had one purpose only: A show of strength. Submit or die. It allowed the most elite of humans to witness its immense might, to squash any thoughts of rebellion. Yet, it gave them unlimited power, as if to tell them that this was the future that awaited them. And yes, in the past, that worked rather well. "Level 7 already. Three more, and the ability may get a small evolution," Lee Dojin muttered and then sighed. Even he was more or less reliant on the system to grow stronger. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and prepared to head home. Going by the time, this should appear somewhat usible to his mother, and hopefully, she''d not believe he tried skipping. He passed the familiar convenience store, thinking about how he should get a snack before heading home when he saw a slightly familiar face. He squinted his eyes, confused on the strange sense of deja vu, but then it came to him. His face brightened up. Meanwhile, the young man that also met Lee Dojin''s gaze felt a great shiver run down his spine. He immediately searched for an exit strategys, he had been toote. Lee Dojin appeared in front of him. "You were with the bullies that I beat up the other day." The boy smiled brightly while pointing at a red smudge. "Here, right here, do you remember? That''s where the big one lost a tooth. Such a shame, I hear they don''t grow back. By the way, how''s he doing?" The young man gulped, his face had unknowingly turned pale, and he dabbed the sweat off his cheek. "He, uh, he... he''s in the hospital," he answered, thinking about his friend Park Wanho. "That''s too bad. Hope he makes a speedy recovery." Lee Dojin shook his head, feeling genuine dismay. "I really do regret it, you know? Having to let him suffer." He patted on the young man''s shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. "Next time, I will kill him in one move, what you reckon?" The young man felt his blood run backward, his breath disappearing, his hair stiffening, and his skin crawling. Now, he truly understood: The old Lee Dojin was no more. Instead, Satan himself had taken on his skin and was searching to promote his business. "Get away from me, bastard!" He flung Lee Dojin away and sprinted off. On his way, he threw a trash can down and shoved ady off his path. He then disappeared into a random alleyway. The young manughed. "That son of a bitch! He canugh now, but we''ll see how he''ll react if I bring the upperssmen." He turned around. "Yes, I lost him." "No you didn''t," Lee Dojin whispered in his ear. There he was squatting down and already in front of him. The young man nearly fainted from shock, but Lee Dojin would not allow that. "But that''s a great coincidence. Though I don''t really want to join the childish game of pretend-society you kids are ying, I do need someone to guide me to school." He grabbed the young man underneath his armpit and pulled him out the alleyway. "So why don''t you show me the way?" Chapter 15: School Chapter 15: School "So this is the school I''ve been going to." Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. "Pretty big." He stared at the big white building in front of him. Compared to his past, where he went to the worst, this school seemed to exist as the antithesis of his old one. It stood white, tall, massive, and holy. Like there was no speck of dust to be found anywhere near it. Thoughhe looked at the boy to his sidethere was no way that could be true. "Will you let me go now," the young man asked him. His arm ached as he was dragged here. His eyes were shaking crazily. He did not understand why that weak Dojin had suddenly turned into such a fearsome creature. Even then, why did that guy want him to show him where the school they went to every day was? Lee Dojin looked at the young man. "Say, what was your name again?" "You" The young man was about to throw a fit, but then wisely held his mouth. It was true that such a question was of much disrespect to him, but he was in no state to fight back. He still remembered the big Park Wanho, who had been pummeled into the hospital. Even now, he still had not woken up. His face had turned bloated, his teeth crooked, and pus had leaked out his open wounds. But what stayed in his mind the most was the putrid stench that came with itthat cold iron, mixed with something rotten. He did not want to be remembered like that. Thus, he answered, "It''s, uh, it''s Kim Heeson." "That''s a stupid name," Lee Dojinmented nonchntly. He thenughed out loud. Kim Heeson felt a great surge of anger well up inside him but then shrunk back. Lee Dojin''s arm was still wrapped around his neck. He could escape today, but no one could know what that crazy bastard would be capable of in a week. "I hear that often," he said, with a false smile on his face. "Now, we might bete, but that''s still better than never right?" Lee Dojin stared at the empty field. Currently, everyone was in their sses, studying diligently. "Wait, we do go to the same ss, right?" Did that guy hit his head on the pavement at New Years'' or something? Kim Heeson had such exasperated thoughts in his head. Of course, he did not voice them out. "Yes, yes. That''s correct. If we go fast, we might still manage to get there in time." He jogged away. hoping to distance himself from that psycho. Lee Dojin, meanwhile, had different thoughts. Certainly, most of his mind was upied with The MIrage and The Shadows, but he also wanted to experience the high-school life he had never managed to get. He knew it would end in less in a week, yet, it was still an invaluable time to him. Like a day of rxation. If possible, since he had to be here anyway, he wished to enjoy it without the thoughts of the apocalypse. It would be hard, of course, to adjust himself to a time of peace. Still, he had to try. For it was these moments that life was worth living. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot." He grabbed Kim Heeson''s neck. "I''ll break your spine if you don''t act naturally okay?" Kim Heeson knew instinctively that this wasn''t a threat; It was a promise. Lord knows what that Lee Dojin might attempt doing. "Of course, of course, I wouldn''t dare." "Hmm, that''s too bad. I wanted to see you try. It won''t matter in a few days anyway," Lee Dojin mumbled, much to the horror of Kim Heeson. The two of them walked through the empty hallway, and if one did not know their rtionship, they might have believed them to be great friends. The school, as expected from the size, was rather hard to navigate. Lee Dojin wondered how his mother had afforded for him to attend such a prestigious-looking school. Though maybe it was that he got here solely by his own talent, which would not be ideal, since the current Lee Dojin was anything but gifted in education. They stopped at a white door, in which an old woman was currently giving a lecture. Based on the words written on the ckboard, he guessed the lessons to be in Korean literature. His face brightened as he realized it was about the three kingdoms in Korea. There was only one reason for him to feel so: He had fought alongside these heroes depicted in the apocalypse. "Should we go in," Kim Heeson asked the non-responsive Lee Dojin. The young man felt a little nervous entering the ss thiste. He answered, "Well, would you rather stand outside here?" Lee Dojin shoved the door open. A sudden quiet descended the room, as all eyes were on the new intruder. Even the teacher stopped the lecture to see who it was. Kim Heeson entered soon after. "Seungsengnim, excuse us for beingte!" He bowed lightly. The teacher answered with a rough voice. "Excuse me? You want to be excused? It''s almost afternoon, and you arrive only now? Have you gone ck so soon to graduation? I''ll have you know, it''s still more than a year away, you two hear me?" "Yes, yes, I understand." Kim Heeson lowered his head. He had a smile on his face. "See, I passed Dojin on my way to school, but he had a stomachache on his way. It looked serious, so we brought him to the doctors, just to be safe," the man shot these words out as if he was an experienced actor auditioning for his favorite role. The teacher scrutinized the two of them. "Is that so? Which doctor was it then, and at what hospital?" "Dajoen hospital in Yeoungdo, Seungsengnim." "Hmm," she closed her book. She then stared into Lee Dojin''s eyes. He did not budge. "Well, if it''s Dojin, then I suppose it is alright. Take a seat." Kim Heeson breathed out a sigh of relief for no one to hear. "Slimy bastard," Lee Dojin whispered into his ear. Kim Heeson flinched but had no way of reacting. The two of them sat down. It was only then that he realized he hadn''t brought the necessary supplies to start his school-life-adventure. Yes, he brought his bag, but there wasn''t actually anything of substance in there. Only a pen that did not work, some random books, like a manwha for example, and tons of snacks. Attending his sses wasn''t in his nned schedule, to begin with, thus he simply got rid of the useless stuff like textbooks and notes. He stared around, not knowing what to do. His eyes fell on the girl sitting beside him. She had long, straight, ck hair, a small face with round eyes, and pale skin. Her nose had a beautiful arch, that pointed to her bright-red lips. She had an innocent quality to her, one, that seemed almost too indiscreet to touch. Incidentally, she looked at Lee Dojin too. She had a worried face, her brows wrinkled, and while the teacher was not looking, she threw him a piece of paper. Lee Dojin, confused by the stranger, still managed to open the folded letter. There, the girl had asked, "Hey, why were you walking with that bastard Kim Heeson? Did he do anything to you?" By the scribbles, he could tell it was written hastily, yet with care. He chuckled silently. Perhaps, was that the woman whom the past him was friends with? The onlydy that protected him? He turned around and waved his hand, indicating that nothing was wrong. The girl, still unsure, had her lips pursed, yet she did not say anything more. In the meantime, Kim Heeson, who had returned, was greeted by Oh Sanbaek, one of his friends who had not witnessed Lee Dojin beating up everybody at the convenience store. He had gotten the flu over New Years'' and could not attend. The worst part was that this guy was the most unbearable, and also the harshest on Lee Dojin. The two of them had been in the same middle school, and it was him that had gotten on Lee Dojin''s case first. Kim Heeson knew why, though he did not voice his thoughts: It was because if not for Lee Dojin, it would have been him who had gotten bullied. Thus, like a lizard''s tail, he cut that guy off to live the good life. "Hey, what''s this, why are you walking with loser Dojin to school? Did you take his allowance again?" He cackled. "Fuck, why did you not call me? I''m running low on money myself." Kim Heeson''s face turned grim. "Shut the hell up, or I''ll kill you," he whispered in a low voice. That shut him up good. He was rather shocked at his friends'' crass words. He turned to Lee Dojin, and a wave of unknown anger welled up inside him. What had that bastard done? Chapter 16: Cowardice Chapter 16: Cowardice For a moment, Oh Sanbaek was at a loss for words. Now that he thought about it, that bastard Lee Dojin didn''t seem that ruffled up either. He also did not hear anything about the other guys so maybe they did not fight after all? He kept clicking the butt of his pen. Random thoughts that made little sense swirled in his mind. For example, he wondered if maybe Lee Dojin had gotten into cahoots with some washed-up gangster, or maybe even drank a magic potion that made him gain a backbone. Of course, that was all rather unlikely, impossible in some minds even, but Oh Sanbaek could not help it. Though he himself did not see so, he was a coward. He wasn''t strong, he wasn''t smart, God had blessed him with no notable talents. Thus, he could only clench himself onto other strong ones. Thus, even though he was friends with Lee Dojin in middle school, times changed, and he felt no remorse cutting him off. "Hey could you stop with that noise," his seating neighborined. Oh Sanbaek put his pen down and lowered his head. "Sorry, sorry." He then silently observed Lee Dojin, his eye sharp. Meanwhile, the person in question did not realize the eyes on him. Or maybe he did, but he could not care less. He twirled his pen around while staring in the distance. He had no books out and took no notes since he neither had the interest nor the necessary equipment to do so. The old teacher, who saw Lee Dojin''s careless attitude, felt a surge of anger well up inside her. Even though he had beente, he did not pay heed to the ss at all, indicating he held not an ounce of respect for her. It wasn''t like he had any considerable backing, like a helicopter-mum, or was the son of some executive chef either, so where did he get the nerve to doze off? "Lee Dojin," she suddenly called out. "Am I boring you?" Lee Dojin turned around. He saw the furious woman in front of him, in her hand holding a textbook. The other students also turned their attention to him. The girl who had asked him if he was alright, gave him a worried look. He chuckled. "No, not at all." "Really." She ced her hands on her hips. "Well, it does not seem like that to me." "That''s your problem then. What does your interpretation have to do with me?" He waved his hand then turned his head to the window once more, paying thedy no heed. Some people in the ssughed in a whisper. Could something interesting be unfolding in today''s mundane lessons? The teacher, offended by the tant disrespect, felt the blood rise to her head. "It''s great that you think that this ss has no value for you. That must mean you are one of the gifted children. As a teacher, I could not be prouder of students like you. I apologize if my ss might thus appear inadequate to you. But do understand that there aren''t many who can keep the same pace as you, please," she said with a rather forced smile. Lee Dojin tilted his head. What was with that sudden aggression? "That''s not it at all. This course just holds no value for me. It is not like I am bothering you just by staying silent, no?" "This has little to do with what you want. A school is a ce of learning!" The woman snapped. "I won''t ept such behavior in my ssroom. If you don''t want to learn, then leave my ss." At this point, Lee Dojin had already given up on having a peaceful school-week. As he thought, peace was no ce for him. If he could have managed to sit through this ss, maybe he would not have been thrown out of school in his past life. Still for it to happen only 30 minutes into the lesson, that was rather unbelievable. In his mind, he did not do anything wrong, yet he had already been chastised. He was starting to believe that he might have a passive skill that made him that much more provocative. "Why are you so uptight? Isn''t it normal that within thousands of students that you teach, there will be some whom you cannot help? It is neither fault of you nor the apprenticejust different styles of learning." He sighed, disappointed. "Such thing had urred to me too. So why the anger?" He hadn''t even bothered to use formal speech anymore. Now, the other students were sure that something would unfold. They watched the exchange with bated breaths. Many people thought Lee Dojin was stupid to reply this waymaybe he wasbut whatever could take them out of this boring history lesson was wee. "Pfft, look at the teacher going red." "Don''tugh, don''tugh, that ox will get mad at you otherwise," another student whispered. The teacher''s anger subsided. Instead, there arose a cold contempt as she listened to Lee Dojin speak. That was the problem with kids these days, having never been part of the real world. They expect everything to fall their ways; as if they could change fate itself. And from those frequent thoughts of rebellion arose. It will only be in a few years that they think about this moment and feel the shame that kept them up at night. All she could do as a teacher was helping him pass the moment as painlessly as possible. "I understand. Well, would you like to continue the lesson if you are this capable then?" She wrote something on the ckboard. "As you know, many regard Zhuge Liang as the once-in-a-millennia genius, as he not only disyed an otherworldly mind for strategems, but also had an impable talent for machinery, dubbing himself as an inventor and engineer. However, there is one less remembered man of that era, Ma Jun a servant of Cao Wei, who is often overshadowed by him. What was his most famous invention?" "Oh look at that, he got properly marked. That ox is going to wring Lee Dojin''s neck." "Ah, idiot, what an idiot. He should have just quietly aced the exams." "That''s not even the Three Kingdoms of Korea, what the hell?" The ss whispered to each other. But Lee Dojin did not mind. Instead, his eyes widened. "Did you say Ma Jun?" He subconsciously straightened his back. bubbles ofughter escaped him. "So people do remember that old coon. And here he told me that this generation was a lost cause because no one recognized that beggar." "What''s so funny, Dojin, is it that you cannot answer?" The teacher asked. A small grin crept up her face. Suddenly Lee Dojin''s neighbor stood up. "Seungsengnim. I don''t think this question is appropriate for our current lesson. Since we are following the three kingdoms of Korea, not China." "Kim Jyejin." The teacher looked at her. "Why, that makes for an interesting debate I believe. Given that this is history ss, it''s important to note even that those not inside the country." Kim Jyejin did not back down. "Still, it is unreasonable to assume that Lee Dojin possesses the necessary knowledge to answer the question." "Oh, would you like to answer then? I understand that you are the niece Kim Illsang," her tone turned harsh, "but I''ll have you know that this is my ss, and I don''t tolerate any disrespect, even if it were from the resident of the Blue House." Kim Jyejin''s brows knitted, her immacte face scrunching. "Seungsengnim, with all due to respect, whom I''m the family member of has nothing to do with this." The old woman shook her head. "Well, if no one can answer this, we should move ahe" "The Chariot. Specifically, the south-pointing one," Lee Dojin suddenly chimed in. "Though he always imed that his best invention was the puppet theatre of his. Funny guy he was." Kim Jyejin, the teacher, and all the students focused their eyes on him. He continued without thought. "Well, that is if wepare it with his past achievements. Even after his death, he will go on to invent many new items that would further humanity''s progress." Lee Dojin thought about the old man in his past. The one brought back by the system. He was a cranky one, and just like him, from low-standing. All he had was his brain that served him. Saying Ma Jun died unknown was certainly false. Even today, he remained as one of Ancient China''s greatest mechanical engineers, but it was true that his legacy fell short of people like Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei. "That is, uh," the teacher stammered for her words. "I''ll have to check it out in other books." "What don''t tell me you asked me a question about which you did not know the answer to?" Lee Dojin raised his brow. The teacher, under the scrutiny of her student, felt embarrassment turn her cheeks red. She excused herself, saying that she had something to research, then dashed through the door. The room was met with an awkward silence. They were unsure of how to react. Lee Dojin kept his sight outside the windows, starting to get bored by this charade. There was only one person who had a different reaction: "Tsk, I worried for nothing. That Lee Dojin is still a useless know-it-all. No way that nerd would have gotten the balls to oppose me," Oh Sanbaek said quietly to himself. Sinister thoughts clouded his mind. Yes, he was a coward. But being a coward in itself was not necessarily a bad thing. At times, it may even help one survive. It was better to be alert one time too often than being negligent at the most important time. Surviving and living, for that, one needed to be lucky every second, yet, to die, it only took one time of misfortune. However, not only was he a coward, but he was also a moronic coward. That, of course, bore no merit. Chapter 17: Oh 300 Chapter 17: Oh 300 The rest of the lessons were rather dull. In the end, Lee Dojin dozed off, learning nothing new. There was one point though, where he could not helpughing. It was during English ss while hearing the teacher talk with his strong ent. At first, he could not even understand him, thinking that he was speaking anothernguage, one unknown to him. Only after carefully listening did he understand that the man was in fact speaking English. Thus, he thought about the day of New Year, where that nosy mother and her son had brought that topic up. He really did understand them though, as he himself was never good at English either. Still, when the fate of the world was in ones'' hand, there was little choice but to cram as manynguages as possible into his head. Even some otherworldly ones, from races, brought here by the system. After all, he could not possibly fight alongside someone he did not understand. Thankfully, he had a great skill that helped him process all that information, otherwise, he may have just died from his brain exploding. The bell rang across the hallway, notifying everyone in the school. The students sighed in relief. It was now the hard-earned long break, where they could stretch their limbs and fill their belly. Lee Dojin himself took out his snacks and started munching on some chips. "If you eat that fast, you might choke," a woman said, right behind him. "In the first ce, isn''t bringing snacks into the ssroom forbidden? Oh dear, has the uptight Dojin finally entered the rebellious phase?" Lee Dojin turned around to see who it was. There, the somewhat familiar girl with long ck hair and fair skin smiled at him, her hands on her hips. He swallowed the food in his mouth, then turned around, ignoring her. Seeing that Lee Dojin was not going to reply, Kim Jyejin felt appalled. "Hey, can you at least talk to me?" "... Can''t a man eat in peace?" He turned around and grumbled. In his mind, he churned for a name. He remembered the teacher called her, "Jyejin." At the same time, a few puzzle pieces came together, forming a whole picture. The niece of Wayward Pharmas'' CEO, Kim Jyiejin. The past Lee Dojin''s childhood friend, Kim Jyejin. His only childhood-friend, Kim Jyejin. The girl standing in front of him with a mildly annoyed face was all of them. He realized that maybe he should treat her a little nicer, seeing that they had a connection. "You, you''ve got some guts, huh? Did you finally hit puberty?" Kim Jyejinughed at her own joke, though Lee Dojin did not find it that funny. He imagined her a little differently, based on what he heard and her appearance. Maybe a little more refined? That idea quickly fell apart after she opened her mouth. "The past me must have had it tough, huh?" Lee Dojin sighed, as he stared into the distance, unbeknownst to anyone what he was thinking. That action made Kim Jyejin all the more annoyed. Though it was more done in a yful way. Truthfully, she was happy seeing him well. "How was your New Years," she asked him but did not receive an answer. It was not because Lee Dojin did not wish to answer. Rather, they were interrupted by a rude shout. "Oi, Dojin, get your ass over here," Oh Sanbake shouted with a mildly irritated voice. He had his feet on the table, an act that he thought made him look tough. Behind him, there was Kim Heeson, whose mouth would not close due to that idiot''s stupidity. Before he could pull him back, Oh Sanbaek already started fueling the mes. "You''ve got any spare cash? I blew mine on cigarettes. If you don''t mind why won''t you lend me some like always? Naturally, I''ll pay you back." He put his hands together, as if to beg, but grinned mischievously. Kim Jyejins face immediately darkened. "Sanbaek, dumb bastard, if you can''t manage your finances, then that''s your own fault." She clicked her tongue, unlike before, she was now really annoyed. "Also, you aren''t even of age to smoke yet. Do you want me to report you to the teacher?" "Ohe on. It''s just asionally. Everyone does that nowadays." Oh Sanbaek leaned on his chair. "Not everyone can be as rich as you Jyejin. And Dojin and I are friends, are we not? We''ve known each other for so long after all. Where''s the trust?" Kim Jyejin hands balled into a fist. She ground her teeth. "How can you be so brazen?" She, and everyone else in this ssroom, knew the rtionship between Oh Sanbaek and Lee Dojin. They knew these two could not be further away when it came to friends. Yet, time and time again, Oh Sanbaek had shown his disregard by continuing to bully Lee Dojin, as if trying to test how far he could go. Still, there was no one that stood up against this injusticeand that was what made her all the more infuriated. Lee Dojin closed his chips and turned around. "There''s no end to you guys, is there," he said, baffled. There were more people that bullied him than there existed goblins spawned by the system. In a way, they both had that uncanny ability to attract trouble. "You are worse than a hemorrhoid." Feeling the disappointed look from him, Oh Sanbaek was first shocked, then confused, then angry. His eyebrows shot down, and blood rushed to his head. How dare that "You motherfu" "Sanbaek, drop it." Kim Heeson pulled Oh Sanbaek away. He nudged at him to sit down, and his cold eyes told him that this was not up for debate. The wrath within Oh Sanbaek immediately died out. Though he did not understand why that guy reacted this way. Maybe it was because he didn''t want any teachers involved? Anyway, he did not want to get on Kim Heeson''s bad side. Bully the weak and fear the strong, that was how this guy survived, in Lee Dojin''s mind, a truly despicable way of living. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "You got lucky there." As Oh Sanbaek''s provocations continued, Lee Dojin himself began to feel irritated. He shot back, "You have great anger for someone so minuscule." He held his nose and grimaced. "Damn bottomfeeder, get away from me, you stink." Hearing these words, Oh Sanbaek lost all reason. It was as if literal smoke exited his ears. "That''s it, I''ll break your neck." Blinded by rage, he forgot Kim Heeson and his warning. He swung at Lee Dojin''s face, not carrying for the aftermath. Lee Dojin, without even giving him a nce, moved his neck to the right, and his fist missed. Losing his bnce, and through inertia, he then stumbled slightly, falling on the table and flinging the notes and books away. Lee Dojin sighed. His eyes that stared at Oh Sanbaeks neck was ice-cold. "Well, and that''s the end of my school life, I suppose." At the same time, he thought, how big of an impact would killing this guy have on his future ns. However, through some fortune (or misfortune), he did not have to continue that train of thought. Kim Heeson, who saw Oh Sanbaek attack Lee Dojin, first turned wide-eyed, then quickly went into action. He dragged Oh Sanbaek then threw him on the ground. The dull sound of his back hitting concrete, echoed in the ssroom, catching the attention of all the other students. "You piece of fucking shit," Kim Heeson screamed before Oh Sanbaek could even register with the pain. "How many times do I have to tell you to piss off?" His shout reverberated against the walls. There may even be a teacher who''d want to see what themotion was about. Yet, he could not care less. Oh Sanbaek, while rubbing his back, felt shocked. He could not even retort as Kim Heeson dragged him back. As the break ended, and even within the lessons, he did not say a single word. However, Lee Dojin felt it, ever so slightly, Oh Sanbaek would throw him a nce, and within, there was a lot of bewilderment, but also silent rage. Both knew that this event would not end that easily. By the time sses were overand Lee Dojin promising himself never to returnKim Heeson approached him to apologize. Well, he didn''t put much thought behind it anyway. He simply felt bored to death during school, which is why he did not wish toe back. However, as he walked out of the school, an unexpected guest greeted him by the gates. "Lee Dojin, you son of a bitch," Oh Sanbaek said with a tone full of seething rage. He cracked his knuckles. "Think you are really smart, huh? Must have made some great New Years'' resolutions too, I bet." He spat on the ground. "Ain''t no way that Kim heeson will save you here." Many students whose sses have ended, bore witness to what would happen. "You know, I never liked you to begin with," Oh Sanbaek began monologing. "You, who is a loser, has got it all. Good grades, a nice childhood friend, and a beautiful mother. What kind of unfair stuff us this? Meanwhile, I''m stuck here, fighting for any scarp I get. Yet, you dare look down on me?" He turned louder. "Say what how abo" Lee Dojin suddenly appeared before him. Before he could react, a sharp pain pierced his cheek. The world then flew away, as if he was on a rollercoaster. Only after crashing headfirst onto the metal gates, did he realize he had been flying. Hisst sight was Lee Dojin casually strolling away, his bag on his back, and in his hand a sandwich. Chapter 18: Mother of Ravens Chapter 18: Mother of Ravens "You serious?" Lee Dojin raised his brows, faced with Oh Sanbaek standing in front of him. It was now the next day. After some thought, Lee Dojin decided to give school another try. He always regretted in his past life that he never got to experience it. Of course, not only because he dropped out, but also because this was another pir of a society destroyed by The Mirage at the ends of the apocalypse. He had heard many stories from hispanions. Some good, some miserable, but they all remembered the days with great reminiscence. It was like a rite of passage, no matter the feelings one left the ce with, it was a chance to grow and turn stronger (at least so it sounded to him). The optimal time for hunting the shadows was between 12-4 pm, in the afternoonmeaning, there was plenty of time to enjoy a school life without iting in between what was most important. Oh Sanbaeks left side of his face had swollen considerably, with his lips bursting and his eye ck. Still, there was no doubt that he held a fiery expression, his anger evident. behind him were two other people. One had anky build but was tall enough to tower over him. That guy had long flowing hair, tied together like a ponytail. Next to him stood another boy, his height this time average. However, even someone without a discerning eye could tell how muscr he was. The other students all walked a big curve, trying to avoid them. They knew that something was about to go down, but they did not have the tolerance to stop it, so early in the day. "I didn''t know you''de, honestly." Oh Sanbaek said with a smirk. He then grimaced at the pain. Lee Dojin knitted his brows as he massaged his temples. "Did you really not learn anything at all?" "You ass-" His face turned red from fury. "What learning? Learning how you sucker punched me? Think you are so smart what? Dojin, looks like you''ve turned mad." He nced at the two friends on his side. Having those two stand next to him, he felt as if he was leaning against a great mountain; Nothing could make him budge. "This time, I won''t let you run away." The tall guy looked at his friend. "Saemin, do you really think we should do it?" He groaned as if he could not be bothered. "I don''t really wanna skip again. If teach catches me, he''ll make me sit out this match." The big guy, Lee Saemin,ughed. "You really think they''d allow that? If you won''t take part in this tournament, our school has no chance of winning gold this uing basketball inter-high." He brushed his friends'' worries aside. "Besides, no one''s gonna care about that guy anyway." "Oh, you are so smart," the tall guy said and cackled. "Maybe you should have done chess instead of judo." "Shut up, Yujin," Lee Saemin growled. "I''ll kick your ass if you continue these sarcasticments." "I was serious though..." Lee Dojin listened to these guys talk. However, after a while, he decided it was nothing worthwhile anyway. If there was one thing he did not miss when it came to school, it was fighting. He had done enough of that in his past lifewhether it was before or after the apocalypse. He straightened his backpack and walked through Oh Sanbaek and his friends, without paying them any heed. "Hey, did I say you can leave," Oh Sanbaek shouted. Lee Dojin gave him a look filled with pity. That guy, if he knew what was toe, would he still waste his time with mundane stuff like this? It all seemed like a pointless fuss to him. Even without the apocalypse at hand, will this guy continue living his life this way, even after school? As some kind of leech within society? A bout of irritation overcame Lee Dojin. He clicked his tongue. Was it to protect guys like this that he went to fight at the frontlines? "Did I give you permission to talk?" He asked that question with a cold voice. Oh Sanbaek was rather surprised by this side of Lee Dojin. He had never seen him like that before. The guy balled his fists. His knuckles turned white. "You son of a bitch. Even when we went to the same school, you''d look down on me. Don''t stare at me with those eyes, bastard!" He thought back about old times. They''ve known each other rather well, actually. Not enough to be great friends, but enough for people to associate them together. Well, that came naturally, since the two of them were the same kind of losers. Still, Lee Dojin (in Oh Sanbaeks mind) was always different. Others from far away could not tell, but he knew. He knew with all his heart, how Lee Dojin thought he had a greater future ahead, unlike a waste like him. "I''m not some kind of stairs you have to climb and ovee, damn it!" All these thoughts boiled over his head, and he threw his fist, loaded with all his emotions. Lee Dojin gently ced his bag down. He blinked twice, then replied. "I really don''t give a shit." He caught the uing fist with ease, the energy dispersing in his palm. Putting strength into his fingers, he squeezed Oh Sanbaeks hand. Soon, that guy''s hand turned red and his knuckles began cracking. Oh Sanbaek screamed due to the excruciating pain and fell down on his knees. With his other hand, he tried prying off Lee Dojin, but could not muster any strength. Lee Dojin tilted his head and added even more pressure. "You''re too loud," he said, cing his foot on Oh Sanbaeks face and pushed him to the ground. At the same time, he pulled at the guy''s arm. "Hey, hey, if you continue this, you''ll dislocate that boys'' arm." Lee Dojin felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see the big guy, Lee Saemin, giving him an amicable smile. He held his hands up as if telling him that they gave up. "He might never be able to use that again." "That is the n," Lee Dojin answered. "Yo, Dojin, right? I get it. If I was you, I''d love to beat that bastard up to. And you did it, so I won''t me you for it. It''s our loss alright? I''m sure you don''t want any problems with the teacher either." Lee Saemin pressed down on Lee Dojin''s shoulder. "So why don''t we stop it for today?" He chuckled, listening to that guy talk. It reminded him of that encounter he had with those gangsters at the mall. There was this one guy who said the same stuff. "What if I don''t?" The smile on that big guy slowly faded away. At the same time, the firmness of his shoulder pat increased. "You don''t want to find out." "Oh, but I''m so curious though." Lee Dojin smiled. Oh Sanbaeks screams turned more intense "Cheeky bastard," Lee Saemin said, thinking how great of a fool that guy was. It was likely that he had gotten overconfident after beating a nobody like Oh Sanbaek. He grabbed Lee Dojin by his cor and prepared to throw him over the shoulder. However, contrary to all expectations, Lee Dojin did not budge. "Same to you," he said calmly. Yu Yujin looked at his friend in confusion. "Hey, Saemin, why are you holding back?" At the same time, Lee Saemin was greatly shocked. He could not even beginprehending the situation. Never had he felt anything as heavy as this guy before! It was like lifting the earth itself. How was such a thing possible? No, it wasn''t possible, a person that''s unliftable did not exist. Otherwise, he''d have be the world champion long ago. He must have used some trick. Lots of questions formed in his head, but there was no time to ask them. Because Lee Dojin answered first: "Though you probably would not understand for now. But it''s a rather simple technique. You''d be able to gain this skill without an Affinity at all. And after sessfully training it to level 12, it turns into a passive ability. It''s be part of you, and you''d be able to use it even if the skill itself was sealed. To you, I suppose it must feel like I''ve be gravity itself." Lee Dojin lectured him, while the big guy''s head turned red from exhaustion. Even the clothes started ripping by its seems, but Lee Dojin''s feet remained firmly on the ground. "It''s one of the basics. That just shows the insurmountable difference between a yer and an NPC." Lee Dojin lifted his hand, about to chop down onto Saemins face. Feeling the dreading from that simple move, Lee Saemin immediately let go. He changed his ns. "Teacher! Teacher!" Lee Saemin shouted. "There''s a guy assaulting the students!" This thing was above his paycheck. Oh Sanbaek that bastard. How''d he get in trouble with such a monster? God help him if he didn''t beat him to death himself. Lee Dojin stopped his hand. The three people used that as a chance to escape. Yu Yujin tucked Oh Sanbaek away and ran for it. Though he did not feel Lee Dojin''s might himself, he saw enough. In the first ce, he did not even practice any martial arts, he was just some tall dude. But his long legs really were good for running away. Lee Dojin let these guys go. "Man, what aplete waste of time." He picked his bag up, and turned away. In the distance, a teacher was already approaching. He felt a headache creeping up. Yet, that feeling would disappear, aggressively, as a tornado ripping out a bush, as he saw the face of said teacher. "Hey, who''s fighting? Who''s fighting?" A young woman with short curly hair, the color of charcoal, ran towards him. She gasped for air, as she ced herself down on the ground. "Oh, Dojin, hah, it''s you. Are you alright? Haa." Lee Dojins'' mouth turned agape. He grew incredibly vignt, cold sweat running up his back. "Mother of Ravens, Ji-ah?" Chapter 19: Coughing Chapter 19: Coughing The Mother of Ravens, Ji-ah. There was no one in Lee Dojin''s old life that did not know of that woman denomination. Just the mere utterance of her name would send shivers down one''s spine. She was one of the few surviving humans in thetter part of the apocalypse, and there was a good reason as to why. She had the A-Ranked attribute of Decay. Now, although strong, she was not the only person to possess this power. That was not enough for Lee Dojin to remember her. No, what made her really fearful was the skill that came with it: Decaying Future. Through only a touch, she was able to decay even fate itself. Any creatureing in contact with her would have their destiny siphoned until it shriveled away. Without fail, every person marked by her would end up dead, or worse, through utmost mysterious reasons. In the end, Lee Dojin herself had in her. Her vengeful behavior had be a hindrance to humanity''s survival. It was as simple as that. "Huh? Who?" Ji-ah looked at him with confusion. She slid her hair behind her ear. Vapor escaped her mouth as she breathed out. Lee Dojin held his mouth and stepped back. He had to swallow the numerous words left stuck in his mind. He understood that this world was different from his past one. Here, Ji-ah had not be the Mother of Raven, Ruler of Decay, yet, and there was a slim chance of it never happening. Still, the anxiety engraved in his bones, could not help resurface upon seeing her face. Ji-ah watched the silent Lee Dojin with mild interest. Though they shared no sses, she remembered him. He, even though had great grades, would always end up in the teacher''s lounge for some reason, thus she remembered his name. She already knew from the other teachers that this kid was shy and reserved. Witnessing his behavior firsthand, she realized these words to be true. As a teacher, she ought to be patient with him. "Dojin, if you don''t go in now, you''ll bete for your ss." Lee Dojin swiped his hair up and approached her. "Forget school. Let''s go to a cafe and have a chat, just the two of us, how about it?" He grabbed her hands, and stared deep into her eyes, Great confusion welled up inside, Baek Ji-ah, and she almost let her folder containing today''s lecture fall. Comprehending what Lee Dojin had asked, that confusion changed to embarrassment. Those damn rumors could not be trusted after all! Kim Jyejin, who had just arrived, had her mouth hanging low. She was alwayste for school, as she could never wake up in time. At one point, she had gotten so good at timing the way from home to school, she could enter the door right at the bell. During that time, she had seen many hectic people do weird things, such as trying to jump over a fence and slipping or convincing the guard that they had been there the whole time. However, in all her life, she had never imagined witnessing Lee Dojin hitting on a teacher. She thought about his actions yesterday. The familiar Lee Dojin she knew did not fit into the image she was seeing now. "Did he swap bodies with another guy or something?" Baek Ji-ah lightly pushed him aside. She brushed his statement off as a joke and said, "Maybe after ss, though you''d have to watch me great all these papers in silence. Sounds rather boring, no?" She waved her hands then walked away. Though Ji-ah appearedposed on the outside, with a faint smile on her lips, one could see her red ears if they focused enough. "Hey, Dojin, mister! Why are you getting it on with the new teacher?" Jim Jyejin approached him with a sly smile. "Can''t fault you on the taste though, she certainly is a looker." She whistled and nced at Ji-ah who was quickly walking away. Lee Dojin scratched his head. "Hmm, I suppose that was a little too straight-forward." Well, what could he do? He was strapped for time. He walked away, his chin in his hand, and his head full of thoughts. "Hey, where are you going? Our ss is the other way!" Her frustrations with this guy grew. She sighed as Lee Dojin did not seem to listen to her. "Tsk, aren''t you a bit too old to do this mysterious roley?" Kim Jyejin quickly ran after him. ... "...And if you substitute this form for x, you will see that we''d and up with the number 22,6." Baek Ji-ah wrote the number on the table. The sound of chalk echoed in her otherwise silent ssroom. "Rounding that down, we can see that the alpha radiation would pass through around 22 paper walls." She turned around, seeing her students diligently take note. Great satisfaction welled up inside her. "Any questions?" A female student immediately raised her hand. "Yes." She smiled. "What don''t you understand, Miss Wenji?" The student stood up. She asked, "What''s with those people standing behind us?" The girl pointed at Lee Dojin and Kim Jyejin cooped in the corner and staring holes into Baek Ji-ah. Ji-ah smiled wryly, the edges of her mouth pulled apart. She sensed an iing headache. "Uh, anything relevant to the task?" If she knew that answer, she would have said so long ago. Kim Jyejin stepped forward. She bowed slightly. "Actually, Ji-ah Seungsengnim, we''ve been sent here to observe by our homeroom teacher. Lee Dojin over here is nning to be a teacher, so he is taking this opportunity to pre-emptively study what the educator job entails. As Seungsengnim has just graduated from the academy not long ago, we''ve summarized this ce to be an excellent ce for learning." That girl said everything without showing a quiver of emotion. It was almost scary. What teacher? What studying? Did she not say she wanted toe since it may turn out interesting? What a great liar she was, Lee Dojin nodded to himself. Ji-ah narrowed her eyes. "And you are?" "My name is Kim Jyejin, Seungsengnim." "...I see." Ji-ah pursed her lips. She knew that name rather well too. In fact, there was no one who did not. Kim Jyejin, niece to Kim Illsan, founder and CEO of conglomerate Wayward Pharmaceuticals. And putting her family ties aside. She too was a model student with great grades. Still, why were such exemry students bullying a new teacher like her? Did she do something wrong? Or did they just not like her looks? She quietly swallowed her tears and continued the lesson. Kim Jyejin asked much the same question. really, Lee Dojin was such an enigma these days. However, neither of them could dream guessing what Lee Dojin was currently thinking. He bit his nails, racking his brain. It really was worth it,ing here to school. It was like opening a random oyster and finding a great pearl inside. He now only needed to polish it. Though the question was whether he could. Now that he thought about it, he did not know much about her personal life. It wasn''t like they were the greatest of friends. No, in fact, saying they were enemies would not be wrong. He only remembered that she was always alone. He always thought it was because of her powers, which allowed her to create the ego of herself, but with the affinity and skills, she had absorbed from her victims, thus making it unnecessary for her to have any followers. However, there seemed to be another reason too. He went through all the information in his hand and tried to categorize them. She had messy hair that flowed down her face, unlike the Ji-ah he currently saw. She also always wore a ck raincoat. Actually, everything she wore was ck. Was it because she was mourning someone? Ji-ah who was about to start a new topic suddenly coughed out loud. Her students did not mind, seemingly used to it. They continued taking notes, not bothered by the sound. "Uh, is she alright?" Kim Jyejin asked worriedly. Those coughs did not sound simple at all. Rather, it felt like they came deep from the core. A student reassured her. "No, it should be alright." He scribbled down some numbers in a book. "At first we were as surprised as you, but Seugnsengnim herself told us not to worry about her. Apparently, it was allergies." Lee Dojin thought of something different though. His eyes narrowed down to a slit. Taking some tissues, Ji-ah continued coughing, and the chalk felt out her hand. The student who had just talked to Kim Jyejin grew worried too. As she was about to pick up the chalk, she stumbled and fell to the ground. She repeatedly gasped for breath and her face turned pale. The sudden change stunned everyone. Lee Dojin quickly ran forward and felt her pulse. He also checked if she was breathing. He turned to Kim Jyejin and shouted, "Call an ambnce!" He remembered now. The Mother of Ravens had been ill since birth. Something to do with her lungs, he reckoned. Through this experience, she had gotten her affinity. It was this illness that shaped her, gave her happiness, and took it away. He gently ced Ji-ah''s head on his arm. Old memories resurfaced from deep within him. Chapter 20: Bold Idea Chapter 20: Bold Idea "So, Miss Ji-ah has been brought to the hospital. Don''t worry, she is alright. Just a little anemic," the old man said and ced his bag on the teachers'' table. "I will take over the lesson for today." The students sighed in relief. Baek Ji-ah, although not being part of this school for long, was rather liked by everyone. She seemed young enough to understand the students, yet not too young for it to inhibit her professionalism as an educator. Everyone settled down, and the lesson soon began returning to normalcy, as the new teacher took over the ss. Everything was the same except for one thing. "Excuse me, where do you two think you are going?" The teacher looked at Lee Dojin and Kim Jyejin. The students all turned around. "Ah, there''s been a misunderstanding," Kim Jyejin said and waved her hands. "We weren''t originally part of the lesson anyway. We were just here to observe. It''s true, ask everyone else." The students nodded in reply. The old man rubbed his beard. "Alright fine, you can go. But I better not find out that you were skipping, you hear that?" Kim Jyejin nodded and bowed. She then took Lee Dojin''s head and pushed it down, seeing him not react. The two of them all walked out of the room. "Fuu, that was interesting." Kim Jyejin wiped the sweat off her forehead. "I really, really did not expect her fainting like that. What did the teacher say? Anemic? That doesn''t sound right, did it? My Grandma is anemic, the biggest problem she has is not being able to stand up in the morning. Never heard her cough like that." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. To be honest, he had a hunch on what was happening. "Well, it''s of bad taste to pry at others'' business, don''t you think?" "Hmm?" She raised her brows. "Why do I feel like you know something and are unwilling to tell me?" "No way, you are imagining it." "Tsk, what a bad liar." Kim Jyejin shook her head andughed. "Alright then, mystery man. Don''t get yourself in trouble." She then patted Lee Dojin''s head, confusing him. "Also, I''m d to see you are doing well. You were in such a bad state at around christmas, I thought you''d disappear on me." A pang of guilt poked at Lee Dojin''s chest. He brushed his hair out his eyes. "I won''t be away for a while, so don''t worry." "Big words for someone that needs my protection all the time." Kim Jyejinughed out. "Well, let''s get to ss, I''m sure we''ll get an earful from Miss Ji again." "You can go on your own. I''ve got something else I have to do. "What? You are skipping?" Kim Jyejins eyes widened, as she heard the bookworm and student of excellence mention ditching ss. "Wait, you aren''t going to visit that teacher Ji-ah, or something right? It''s getting a little suspicious now, brat." "That''s impossible. Don''t say stupid things," Lee Dojin rebutted and hit her head. "I''ve got something much more important to do." "Really, awesome. Take me with you." Kim Jyejin''s eyes glistened as she smelled something interesting again. "As long as you aren''t doing anything dangerous, I supportive of your decisions." Lee Dojin shook his head. He took the books out of his bag and ced them on the ground. "I''m sorry, but that is sadly exactly it." "Huh, what do you" Kim Jyejin was about to question his word choice when she suddenly realized that Lee Dojin had disappeared. "Is he a ghost or something?" Meanwhile, Lee Dojin reappeared outside the school ground, in his hands an empty bag. His eyes were cold. Seeing Ji-ah, he was reminded of his mission here. Of course, he''d love to continue living this peaceful life, simply drifting without any worries, but he knew that was not who he was. This was not what his own legacy entailed. Even now, while he was ying make-believe in a school that would disappear soon, hispetitors continued to rise in power. Everyone her lived their own life, regardless of him. "From now, I should only go to school to see the Mother of Ravens." He vanished once more, warping between the nodes of the dimension. Ordinary people had no chance of noticing even his shadow. [Rank 304/6044] Lee Dojin looked at his rank. At first nce, this may seem like a high rank to other people. But Lee Dojin was less than satisfied with that. For him, it was rank 1 or nothing, because the hidden quest that awarded him the item he desperately needed only came with being rank 1. Climbing thedder had be harder and harder. Last time, he only rose around 20 ces. Going by that pace, he may not even reach the top 100. Such rating was beyond abysmal for the Lightbringer and Inheritor of the universe, Lee Dojin. He arrived at his usual spot. The light was not as high as he hoped, but it should do for what he was about to do. No, it may even be better for the light to not be that bright this round. He opened his empty bag and gathered as much fine sand as he could possibly fit into it. After half an hour, the bag was filled to the brim, bing heavy to lift. Though that was not a problem for him. He cracked his neck and loosened his joints. Sweat dripped down his forehead, as he anticipated what he was about to do. He ripped the fabric of his shirt and tightly wrapped it around his mouth and nose. With this much protection, there should not be any particles able to enter his orifices. Lee Dojin thought about his ability, Cosmic steps. He was sure, when he had just received the ability, he had around 10 stars swirling around him. Now that he was level 7, it had reached 17. This involved math that even someone like Lee Dojin could understand. Every level meant one star. Hopefully, his assessment was right. Otherwise, he''d be in for a treat now. He searched for an elevated tform and threw all the sand in the air. Those, in turn, cast individual shadows all over the park. He then began his daily quest. .... "That madman!" Hassan jumped up, and the chair behind him fell to the ground, almost shattering. Yet, he did not care, as he was about to lose it. His jaw almost dropped to the ground and his eyes were shot wide open. He simply could not believe it. "He just rose 100 ranks at once!" He shuddered from his own words. In the beginning, he would still try topete with this mysterious Inheritor of the Universe, but he quickly realized such thoughts were for naught. Seeing how he rose ranks every day, Hassan quickly realized that this person was crazy. They actually challenged the Shadows every time. Still, even though the feats were impressive, they were still human. Seeing this person rise 100 ranks, and knowing the nightmare of these shadows, he had turned into a bonafide monster in Hassan''s mind. "Did this guy fight the shadow of God or something?" He was still shaken up. At this point, he realized. The Inheritor of the Universe was aiming for the top spot! And judging by the haste, there was a real chance for them to get it. He quickly put on his coat and went to where his jets were. "I''ve got to find him as quick as possible." It was at such time his Affinity and the apanying skill was of much use (though it failed inbat). His brothers, in all their elitism, have probably not realized it yet. But who knew how long they''d stay oblivious? He had to find this person as soon as possible. ... At the same time, in an American bunker, Charlie was frantically taking notes and trying to reach his superiors. His face was white, and his pupils dted as if he had watched someone return from the dead. "Hello, hello? This is California. I Have something that needs urgent reporting!" He screamed into his phone. "I don''t care what exactly the minister or even Mr. president himself said. This is of the highest priority!" ... Naturally, Hassan and Charlie were not the only ones to notice the change. There was a small turmoil all around the world due to this sudden jump in rank. There were many who chalked it up as a one time wonder, but those that were sharper understood that it was not that simple. Still, everyone would remember the Inheritor of the Universe, and watch his progress with bated breaths. ... Lee Dojin wiped the sweat off his face. He gasped for air, as he rubbed his throbbing headache away. His ripped shirt showed his abs. He wasn''t particrly and with the frequent overexertion of his body, he had taken the first steps into turning fit, with muscles appearing on his stomach first. Heid on the ground full of sand, trying to catch his breath. Today, he had done what no one in his old life dared to do. The theory was, if only the amount of shadows counted, could one not simply fight against the sand corns on the ground. Of course, such notion was quickly dismissed, for it was ridiculous. Innumerable, barely visible, enemies that could attack one from inside? That was instant death. However, Lee Dojin had made the impossible possible, taking the first step in changing humanity''s fate. Chapter 22: Kim Heeson Chapter 22: Kim Heeson Another day of school, but Lee Dojin saw no reason for going. Instead, he had a different idea in mind. He went towards the Seoul tower, climbing the steep staircase in Namsan, The steps weren''t a particr issue to him, though he felt a queer sense of mncholy as he passed the old houses, the peaceful children in the park, and the empty convenience stores blinking asionally. He bought some ice cream while on his way. His change had started to run low. He still needed some money to buy the basic necessities when all went down. Though it should be fine, since society would still be trying to function for quite some timeeven prosper for a short whileuntil The Shadows and The Mirage overwhelmed them. There was nothing he could do about that, not with his strength, not with someone else''s strength either; He only had to make sure that humanity managed to prosper even with all these seemingly insurmountable obstacles. There was no one at the Seoul Tower. It did not open for visitors at this time. But naturally, that did not matter to Lee Dojin. He activated his Cosmic Steps. The stars appeared in front of him, and he felt the faint connection to the ones further away. Even though he did not see them, he could grasp thema rather overpowered ability. He passed any janitors or staff, without them noticing, and made his way to the top. Arriving at the park at the top, he climbed up the gond. It shook, though Lee Dojin did not fall off. Instead, he bnced himself on the strings going further upward. At this point, the houses he had passed on his way had turned into little bricks, with humans as the ants. Far away, Lee Dojin saw the spot he bought the ice from. The hefty breeze of winter battered his face and shook his body off-kelter, but he quickly bnced himself. With the popsicle stick between his lips, he climbed up. He was reaching for the top, as high as Korea allowed. And stretching his arms out, walking carefully, he managed to reach it. He pivoted to his side, and as he looked down the stick almost fell out his mouth. He stretched his hand out. It felt like the whole Seoul could fit in his palm. The infrastructure spanned far and wide until overshadowed by the mountains. The skies had never felt closer before. The winds rang in his ears, while it kept breezing his hair away. His clothes fluttered fiercely. A bird passed by him, letting out a whistle. Lee Dojin followed the animal with his eyes. His brows slightly furrowed, as he muttered out, "To be free, to soar through the sky and dance with the stars..." He closed his hand and let it fall. His clear ck irises reflected the sun. "I want to be free." He covered his mouth and nose, then threw the sand in his bag into the air. ... Walking around the city, he suppressed the emotions of turmoil within him. There was no point thinking about things that could not be changed. In his mind, he only saw what he alone could do. This was neither the time nor the ce to daydream. Still, to dream, to hope, such was the human nature. As long as that light continued to flicker, humanity still stood a chance. Lee Dojin walked past the ever so familiar convenience store when a familiar figure appeared in front of him. "Is this your spawn point?" He chuckled. Kim Heesons shoulders shuddered as he heard Lee Dojin''s voice. He cautiously turned around. "...you''ve got to be kidding me." "Should you not be in school?" Lee Dojin shook his head in disappointment. "Good students shouldn''t skip. What if you get expelled?" Kim Heeson decided to not engage with that guys obvious logical facy. He ced his cigarette back into the package and brushed the tobo off his pants. Right after, he went sprinting, this time turning in the other direction. He felt like he was breaking records, focusing all his energy into his legs. He turned at every corner he could see, hoping this would confuse that bastard. In the end, he stood behind a tree, at an unknown yground, with strangers around him. His vision had gotten blurry, and he knelt down in exhaustion. He looked up, with great pain in his eyes. "How the hell do you do this thing?" Lee Dojin squatted down and faced Kim Heeson. As always, he wasn''t out of breath at all. In fact, it looked like he had always been here. "I''m pretty fast." Kim Heesons closed his eyes, as his brows furrowed. His head hurt, thinking about the weak Lee Dojin in the past. What made him change this way? He''d like to have what he''s having. He propped himself up. His body cast a dark shadow onLee Dojin. He was still panting heavily, but the fierce glimmer in his eyes told Lee Dojin that something interesting would be happening. "I''m telling you, I may not look like it, but I''ve done karate in middle school. And I wasn''t that bad either." "I haven''t even done anything." Lee Dojin remained squatting. He rested his chin on his palm as he looked up at Kim Heeson. "Yet." Feeling the angry emotions in him well up, Kim Heeson took a deep breath. Though he had no energy left, he still tried throwing a punch. Who knew? Maybe everything that Dojin had done was just a fluke. Or maybe he''d seed in a fluke, and against all odds strike him unconscious. At least, just maybe, he''d scare him away. Naturally, nothing of that sort happened. Lee Dojin caught Kim Heesons fist, then flicked his wrist. He flew over Lee Dojin''s head, doing a spiral at the same time, and then fell to the ground. Were it not for the painful thud sound on the ground, it almost like a circus act. "Urgh," Kim Heeson groaned. He already knew that he stood no chance, but how could there be such a difference between them? Lee Dojin approached him. He bit his lips, closed his eyes, and braced himself for the pain. Though, after a minute, he realized nothing came. He reopened his eyes, Lee Dojin stood before him. "You''re closing your fist wrong." He pointed at his fingers. "You have to keep your knuckles even, or you''ll break them." He grabbed Kim Heesons hand and indicated what exactly he should do. "See, right here. Did they not teach you that at the karate ce." Kim Heeson stared at Lee Dojin, at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say to that? "Don''t believe me? See it for yourself." Lee Dojin punched the ground. The trees around him shook. When he lifted his fist, there was arge imprint on the concrete floor. Kim Heeson gulped. He doubted that his skull was any harder than that. He fell to his ground,ughing wryly. "Ah, what the hell." He gave up any thoughts on resistance. What a monster that guy was. "You good?" "I think I am now. That really cooled my mind." Kim Heeson breathed out. He let the breeze wash over his face. After a few seconds, he asked, "And you? What''s your deal?" "A lot." "No, I mean, why are you talking to me? If I were you, I''d never forgive people like me." Kim Heeson looked away. "You know, if you are softhearted, you won''t make it far in society." "Social norms, bullying, kissing ass," Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. "It all seems rather pointless, don''t you think?" "I''ve actually had the same thing in mindtely." He propped himself up. "Hey, you y any games?" ... "Die, die, die!" Kim heeson clicked on his keyboard. His character moved to sh Lee Dojins. "Hahaha, you suck at this. I''m going to kill you!" The various tter of electronic mouses echoed in the room. The whole ce was dark, except for some monitors with colorful light shining dimly. They were in a PC room. "It kind of feels like you aren''t talking about a game." Lee Dojin stared at his K.O.ed character on the screen. "Come on, man. I''m paying for you." Kim Heeson took his headphones off. "You want something to drink? My treat." "Sure." They ordered through theputer. Waiting for their water to arrive, they paused the game. "Since when did you do your hair like that," Kim Heeson pointed out Lee Dojin''s slicked-back hairstyle. "It''s better like this, right?" He threw his head back. "I quite like it." "Maybe if you had done that sooner, you''d not look that gloomy all the time." Kim Heesonughed loudly, scaring the other customers. "I wonder if we met under different circumstances, would we have been sitting here much sooner?" "So how''s the, uh, the one big guy?" "Really, I mean that in the least offensive way, did you get hit on the head or something? Or some kinda memory loss?" Kim Heeson was baffled. "It''s Park Wonho. He''s getting discharged soon. That dude''s got great vitality. Though about his mind," Kim Heeson pressed his forehead. "Well, I dunno about that." Heughed once more. "Hmm, nice for him," Lee Dojin said. The conversation took a break there. The drinks had arrived, for which Kim Heeson, as promised, paid for. They both took a sip. "You know," Kim Heeson said, "I''m sorry." "For what?" "Well," Kim Heeson scratched his cheek. "Ah, shit this is so awkward. I''m sorry for everything in the past." He continued, unsure how tomunicate his thoughts, "I''m not doing it for you to forgive me or something, and I don''t think this clears everything we''ve done to you, it''s also not because you suddenly got strong, well, yet it kind''a is, but.. . No, what I''m trying to say is, if maybe I had talked to you sooner. We''d have gotten along. That''s all." Lee Dojin ced his water down. "I wonder if these words were what my past me had wanted to hear the most," he muttered under his breath. The two continued gaming until the night, much to Kim Heeson''s wallet''s chagrin. Chapter 23: Strange Men Chapter 23: Strange Men "Hey dumbass, I''vee to pick you up," Kim Jyejin shouted from below. The day was still too young for such high energy. "You should be thankful. I deliberately went on foot." Lee Dojin walked out the door with unkempt hair. "What the hell?" "Don''t you look at me like that." Kim Jyejin puffed her lips. "You''d have skipped again right? We can''t have that." She calmed down, her tone was now serious. "I understand that you had your reasons for asionally ditching ss, but I''ve never seen you go this hard. You know that if you can''t reach their attendance quota, you''ll have to repeat a year?" She straightened his hair to form bangs. She whispered gently, "You know, if you have anything going on, you can talk to me. Right?" Lee Dojin grabbed her hand and brushed her aside. He swept his hair back to reveal his forehead. "I''m fine. Promise." "You sure?" Kim Jyejin rested her hands on her hips. "You don''t seem that fine quite honestly. There''s no reason for you to take on the burden by yourself you know. You have me, and you have your mother, auntie Seunhee. We are here for you." Lee Dojin put his hands up in the air. "Fine, fine. You win. I''ll go to school." He sighed out. "But I''ll leave if I feel like it''s too boring, alright." "Of course school is gonna be boring. That''s the whole point." She grabbed his arm. "But whatever. As long as you walk through the gates. That''s a step forward for me." The two of them made their way to school, though one more willing than the other. "You''re in luck, your muse is in school," Kim Jyejin said. "You know, Ji-ah Seungsengnim." Lee Dojin nced at her. The Mother of Ravens had gotten better? Now that was something worth listening to. "And why would you know that?" "I found out because she resided in one of my dads'' hospitals." "Uwah, The niece of CEO Illsang is casually breaching patient confidentiality." Lee Dojin held his mouth. "Scandal. What a scandal." "It was a coincidence, coincidence! I just went there to take a look!" In anger, she hit Dojin''s head with her bag. "If I really wanted to pry, I''d have asked the nurses what her reason for fainting was, but I respect a patient''s privacy." The girl pouted, her pink lips forming a heart. Lee Dojin rubbed his head. He stared into the distance. "Well, that''s good for her, I guess." "Hey by the way, did you get taller?" The two continued with their idle chatter. It was hard for Lee Dojin to adjust since he had never even seen her a month ago, and seeing the previous him was close to her, it would not be wise to appear strange. Thankfully Kim Jyejin was not a woman to harp around the details. Soon enough they arrived at the school, though the scenery was not what they expected to see. Around the gates, a few older men wearing ck clothing and sunsses were screaming around. They had their hair slicked back, some even with tattoos on their bodiesnot an appearance that facilitated learning. In fact, they seemed rather out of ce within this prestigious school ground. They screamed something, though the men were too far away for Lee Dojin to understand. "Is it that one?" One guy shouted. "He looks dubious." "You idiot, that''s a damn teacher." Another one hit his head. "We are looking for a high-school student. High-school student. Got it?" "Alright, alright Hyung." The first guy rubbed his head in pain. "But can you please stop hitting me? I feel like that''s the reason I''m turning dumber." "Hey you two, don''t fight!" The students fled into the school grounds. Every person passing those gangster-looking people turned quiet and to appear as unseemingly as possible. As Lee Dojin and Kim Jyejin arrived by the gates, the men also ced their attention on them. One guy even walked forward, carefully scrutinizing them. Though what he did not know was that Lee Dojin had been doing the same. The man had short brown hair, a rotund belly, and a short scar running down his lips. One could tell a lot with just a nce, at least Lee Dojin had trained himself to do so over the years of war. He could see that he was short-tempered, prone to anger, and drank too much alcohol. "That ain''t him," the man said and turned around, continuing to look for someone or something. Their attention in Lee Dojin dissipated like the wind. At the same time, Lee Dojin''s interest also faded away. In the first ce, even if they wanted anything from him, the problems of the past would soon be irrelevant starting from The First Advent. "That''s kind of weird," Kim Jyejin said, as she turned around to serve these strange men. "I wonder who they are searching for?" "Well, who cares? As long as they have nothing to do with us." He shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, maybe they are actually the good guys, who knows?" In the meantime, Park Hansoo stared at the two of them from the distance. One of the girls asked him, "Hey, Hansoo, why are you spacing out? You are going to crash into the wall." But he did not hear her. "What the hell? Jyejin ising to school on foot? That Jyejin? And who is that guy next to him?" "Oh, that''s Dojin," a girl answered as she nced at the couple. "We are in the same ss. Thought he was sick though since he hasn''t beening to schooltely. d to see he''s okay." She looked at Park Hansoo again. "Why? What''s with him?" Park Hansoo gritted his teeth. So that was the infamous Lee Dojin (infamous only in his mind). He thought they weren''t particrly close, only distant friends, but seeing this now, he was not so sure. "What''re his parents do for a living?" "How should I know?" The girl was surprised by the random question out of the blue. "I don''t think they have a lot of money though. Heard he was bullied because of that by Sanbaek. Well, what can I say, I''m not particrly friends with that guy. He seemed kinda gloomy." "So his parents aren''t wealthy like mine, huh?" He bit his nail. Then why was Kim Jyejin hanging around with him? To use him as a goofer? But why him? He did not understand. The men kept searching for their target, though there seemed to be no luck. At that point, they even thought that he wasn''t in this school. They were thinking that maybe their person had already entered school grounds. If so, that would be rather bothersome. "Hey, you all!" An unexpected voice screamed at them. They turned their heads to see an out-of-breathdy approaching them with a broom. "This is a school! A ce for learning, not for some hooligans like you to do your shady business." The woman caught not only the attention of these men but also the students and teachers. Kim Jyejin followed the voice with her sight then gasped audibly. "Ji-ah Seungsengnim?" Baek Ji-ah angrily swung the broom in her hand, making these men back away. "Holy hell, it really is! Has she gone mad?" "Come on Miss, no need to be like that," the man with a scar said, an amicable smile on his face. He put his hands in the air, trying to appear non-threatening. "You see, just like you have your work, we have ours. We won''t enter the school, so why don''t you let us do what we are good at?" "Can''t you see you are scaring all the students away? How will anyone feel safe and concentrate on studying if you guys are lurking at the gates like hyenas?" Ji-ah puffed her cheeks in defiance. Her brows pointed downward, as she continued berating the people. "Go away!" "Dojin, what should we do?" Kim Jyejin panicked as she watched the situation unfold. "What if she gets hurt?" Her face turned white. She thought about interfering, but she did not know how. The other students had simr ideas, but they were scared of the consequences. Lee Dojin remained silent. "Miss Ji-ah," another teacher walked forward. It was a middle-aged man, wearing a tracksuit. He ced his hand on her shoulder. "You should not make a scene. What if you get the police involved." "How can you say that?" Ji-ah jerked herself from his grip. Her neck turned reddish from screaming. The anger rushed to her head. Her delicate face scrunched into a knot. "What will our students think if we let this slide? How can they maintain their trust in us like that?" "Now, now. They''ll probably leave when ss is in session." "That teacher is speaking sense," the scarred man said. He rubbed his hands together. "Just let this one go. I promise you we will be gone before you can say ''lecture''. Give us some leeway please," heughed, "you could say we are both good at teaching others a lesson." "Don''t you dare even insinuate that," Baek Ji-ah shouted and threw her broom. The wood hit the man''s face, causing him to fall back. The man touched his face, a red scratch had appeared on his nose. He clenched his fist. "Miss, I have been nothing but patient with you. however, there''s nothing I hate more," He approached her with a cold tone and lifted his hand. The other teacher ran away, seeing that. "than being disrespected!" Like a small deer caught in the headlight, she turned petrified, her whole body not moving. Ji-ah flinched back and closed her eyes. She grit her teeth to brace for the pain. But there came none. Instead, when she opened her eyes again, she saw that one student, Lee Dojin, in front of her. He was grabbing the scarred man by his face, pushing him back. The man tried wing his way out, but Lee Dojin paid him no heed. "What''s with everyone and being so riled up in the morning?" In his other arm, therey Ji-ah, who had fallen back while eyes closedthough her eyes were now wide open. Chapter 24: Many Angry People Chapter 24: Many Angry People "Uhm, uh, Lee Dojin, right?" Ji-ah asked meekly. She was too shocked to even realize that she had fallen. "Uhm..." Lee Dojin propped her up. He feared she may fall once more, and seeing how she had just left the hospital, that would not have been ideal. Thus, for now, he held onto her. "Stand back a little. You may get hurt. Don''t really want that on my conscience." After all, she was the future Mother of Ravens. There was no telling the consequence by angering her. The students around held their mouths. "They''re fighting, they''re fighting!" They took out their phones to film everything. The male teacher that had just run away did not know what to do. Kim Jyejin ran towards them. She gasped for breath as she arrived, sweat trickling down her forehead. "Huh? What? How? But you were. .. " The girl looked at Lee Dojin, then at her back. "Well, nevermind that! Are you two okay?" The scarred man finally escaped from Lee Dojin''s grasp. He had a red imprint on his face. "You little brat!" The man threw a kick at him. Lee Dojin twirled around, with Baek Ji-ah in his arms, as if doing a pirouette, and arrived in from of Kim Jyejin. "As you can see, we are fine." The man, realizing his kick did not connect, fell down due to the leftover inertia. The embarrassment made him turn beet-red. He almost did not want to stand up again. "Hyung!" One of the men shouted and helped him up. "Are you fine? Are you fine?" "Shut the hell up, you''re screaming in my ears," the man shouted back and shoved him away. "Just get that bastard and bring me his head. Lee Dojin groaned as he looked at the goons approaching him with bad will. "Do I really have to fight every day?" He readied himself to counter these people. However, his worries soon proved to be unfounded. "Stop!" Park Hansoo screamed in the distance. His loud voice echoed in everyone''s ears. He ran to Lee Dojin and the others, with two girls trailing behind him in confusion. "I said everyone, stop!" Maybe just out of sheer bewilderment, but every person there really halted their actions. They stared at the neer, wondering what he was nning. "My name is Park Hansoo," he announced proudly and watched their reactions. For some reason, they did not react as expected, instead, looking at him with faces full of confusion. He coughed twice. "Ahem. You guys know Sinhyun Electronics? My father''s an executive there. You, you there." He pointed at one man. "You are using a phone made by thatpany. Isn''t that impressive?" The scarred man broke the awkwardness first. "...Who is this fool?" He rubbed his head, feeling a headache. The anger inside his mind rapidly cooled down as if it was not there in the first ce. Now that reason had returned to him, he began to feel tired. "What?" Park Hansoo''s voice turned threatening. "How dare you call me that? My name is Park Hansoo!" "I don''t care who you are." The man waved his hand and walked away. "Boys, take care of this, will ya? I can''t believe this. Now every random passerby thinks they can get a piece of us, huh?" "Hey, you! Where do you think you''re going? I''m not done with you," Park Hansoo screamed, though he was soon overshadowed by the towering men in front of him. "Sorry dude, nothing personal," one person said and shoved him around. Park Hansoo pushed back. "You think I''m scared of guys like you? I don''t care if youe alone or together, I''ll fight you off." Lee Dojin, Kim Jyejin, Baek Ji-ah, and all the other students staring at the scene were rather stupefied by the situation unfolding before them. Was there something wrong in that guy''s head? Seeing how he acted, their serious atmosphere appeared rather stupid too. The adrenaline within everyone quickly dissipated. "That reminds me," Kim Jyejin said, "we''ll bete for school. Also, how long are you nning on holding Seungsengnim?" Ji-ah turned her sight to Lee Dojin and realized that he was still holding her tight. Embarrassment quickly overcame her and she escaped out of his grasp. Her nose became slightly aflush, as she realized how long she had been in a student''s arms. As a teacher, no matter what, that was incredibly shameful. "Man, did I enter some soap opera?" Kim Jyejin stuck her tongue out and pretended to retch. "Feels like I''m watching some illicit rtionship." "Miss Kim, you, uh, you are different from what I expected." Ji-ah quicklyposed herself, brushing her hair back and trying to appearposed. Kim Jyejin shrugged. "Hope you didn''t expect me to be the snow-white, like everyone else. That''d be annoying." Sheughed. "I''d say I''m more like the queen in that story. Strong and almost independent." Ji-ah thought about how those were not the words she''d describe the Evil Queen. "Well, stay healthy, I guess." In the meantime, the gang of men squared off with Park Hansoo. At one point, one girl shouted, "I''ve called the police! If you don''t scram now, it''s gonna turn ugly!" The men shrunk back. "That crazy bitch, she''s got the cops involved! Scram!" They grabbed the scarred man and ran away. The whole experience started abruptly and ended abruptly. It was all rather bizarre, leaving the onlookers confused at what had actually urred, all soon forgetting the reason why they had been here in the first ce. The teacher in a tracksuitwho had gone in hidingapproached Park Hansoo and his friends. But it didn''t seem like he hade to congratte them. His neck was red and visible blood vessels had appeared on his forehead. "Hey, what do you mean you called the police? What if the news picks it up? You''ll make a mountain out of a molehill. Our reputation will be ruined!" Park Hansoo shouted back. "What? Are you kidding me? She just saved lives; How can you as a teacher care more about the reputation than the students inside?" "You! You''re all going to the principal''s office." Hearing the student belittle him like that, the blood flooded his face. If he continued like that, he might just die of a stroke. "If you talk back, I''ll have you all expelled." "What? Do you know who my fa" "Everybody, rx please." The girl cut them off. She showed her smartphone. Its power was off. "I did not really call them. I only pretended to do so to get them away. Now can we all continue life? If you guys are so energetic in the morning, how will youst until evening?" Park Hansoo stepped back, thinking she was right, and the teacher did too, now that he knew there were no police involvedthough he huffed angrily while walking away. As such, the event ended like that. Park Hansoo went towards Lee Dojin and the group, though he only had eyes for Kim Jyejin. He asked her if she was alright. "Huh, me?" Kim Jyejin looked around. From all the people here, she did the least, so why did that goofballe for her? "I''m fine and dandy. Thanks for asking. Though I really have to go now. ording to my supernatural ability to be perfectly punctual every time, it is time for me to go now." She took Lee Dojin by his hand and jogged away. Park Hansoo, who was ignoredpletely, stood rooted to the ground, unsure what to say. He stared at Lee Dojin as he held onto Kim Jyejin and gritted his teeth. Just what was it that made him be that princess Kim Jyejins'' go-to choice? Ji-ah, standing by his side, told him. "You should probably go too. Or else, you''re going to bete. I won''t vouch for you, just so you know." Hearing that, Park Hansoo and the two girls next to him quickly made their way to their respective sses, everyone arriving just as the bell rang for the first lessonas predicted by Kim Jyejin. The rest of the sses went on like normal. If there was one thing different than before, he realized that Oh Sanbaek wasn''t in school. Kim Jyejin exined that he hadn''t been since yesterday. He must have truly been spooked by Lee Dojin''s actions. ording to her, the guy kept muttering weird words after Lee Dojin went away. It almost sounded like a curse. However, that was all of little interest to him. In fact, the info went into one ear, then out the other. And the ss was beginning anyway, so he did not think about it again. He met the history teacher again, though she did not try starting anything with him. The English lesson was easy for him, as he had learned thatnguage a long time ago. And since the previous him had been rather smart to begin with, he did not gather any more attention. Such serene life continued until lunch break came in the blink of an eye. "Yo, Dojin, you got any food prepared?" Kim Heeson called out to him. "If not, wanna go buy something in the cantine?" Chapter 25: Lunch Break Talks Chapter 25: Lunch Break Talks "Piss off, Heeson," Jyejin growled at him. There was not a chance in hell that she''d let him go near Lee Dojin. Who didn''t know their rtionship? Kim Heeson, together with Oh Sanbaek and some other guys from another ss, had been bullying him since they started sses. They''d always choose a time where she wasn''t there, which is why she found out sote. The teachers also did nothing, chalking it up to boys being boys. Deplorable. They were the reason for Lee Dojin to have turned into such a miserable state. If it weren''t for those bullies, then maybe he''d still smile like the old days. Though his mood seemed to have improved these days. Kim Heeson quickly saw the misunderstanding unfolding within Jyejin''s mind. He tried correcting her, "Hey, I don''t have anything sinister nned, I swear. I am a changed man." Kim Jyejin rolled her eyes. "Sure, and I''m the governor of Austria. Look, I''ll give you three seconds to scram, or I will make you regret staying." "Jyejin, it''s fine." Lee Dojin pulled her back. "He really doesn''t have any ill intentions. Well, at least I think so." She really was a feistydy. Though at the same time, he thought to himself that he needed to appreciate her. Well, not him, but the previous him. If it wasn''t for her support, Lee Dojin could already imagine, he''d had disappeared a lot sooner. Kim Jyejin stomped her feet in anger. "You don''t have to stand up for scum like him." She turned at him, with solemn sadness in her eyes. "Why are you still trying to hide it from me? Do I not matter to you? Or do you think I''m so weak that I can''t defend myself against people like them?" She paused. "We are friends aren''t we?" "That''s not it." Lee Dojin shook his head. "We''ve made up. It''s fine." He pulled her back. "Huh?" Kim Jyejin tilted her head. Lee Dojin''s words caught her stumped. "Could you repeat that? I think I may have misheard." "It''s true." Kim Heeson stepped forward. He had an apologetic expression on him. In the end, he bowed down. "I truly am apologizing for all the things I did to you in the past. I''ve been thinking about it since we met the other day, and our conversation had really helped me clear my head. The regrets, I can''t quite put it in words how I feel, but again, I''m deeply sorry." He said everything with a lot of voice, catching the attention of the neighboring students. A boy that was silently stuffing his face with rice, sneaked a nce at the group to see how the story would unfold. "It''s fine, it''s fine, don''t make a scene," Lee Dojin calmed him down. "I don''t really care about that. Just take a seat." Kim Heeson lifted his head up. He appeared genuinely ted. "Thanks, brother." He took the chair from his desk and sat down. "I''ve talked a bit with the other guys, it might take a while, but I''m sure they''d be convinced. Now that Oh Sanbaek isn''t here these days either, it should be a piece of cake." "Well, isn''t that great to hear?" Lee Dojinughed. He did not really care if the whole school turned against him, not because he could beat them all (he could), but because there was no point in any of this school caste system anymore. He had no ns to associate himself with anyone in this ss. At most, the Mother of Ravens was of interest to him. However, for the previous Lee Dojinthe boy he owed his current life todid no think so at all, for he knew only the people at school. At the very least, Lee Dojin wished to bury any past regrets that boy may have had. "Jyejin, don''t you agree?" He asked the girl. She returned to her desk, moodily brooding, with her eyebrows scrunched and her arms crossed. "Do whatever you want. You don''t tell me stuff anyway. I''m trying to prepare for the next lesson." A bit further away, a few girls were chatting about the party they went tost Friday night, their shrillughter echoing in the room. At this time of the day, the light took on a unique blend of cold and bright, that belonged only to the most fleeting time of winter, thete morning. "That reminds me, Dojin, do you need me to leave?" Kim Heeson asked. "Didn''t you always do that too? In the past, you''d always have your head stuck between the books. Didn''t ya''e here with a schrship or something? Must be hard." A sparrow passed their window. In the back row, someone constantly hummed a sweet melody while copying his friends'' homework. He''d sometimes ask her questions, though they weren''t audible enough to understand. From afar, the most one could tell was the annoyance of his friend, though he was too intent on his work, not noticing her puckered lips. "Nah, it''s fine," Lee Dojin replied. There was no way he''d spend his free time cooped up within a textbook. Reading aic or web novel was still fine, but learning about advanced algebra? Not even if heaven were to fall. "I kind of just want to eat some food." "I''ve got some candy if you want to," Kim Jyejin said. She reached into her bag, taking out a box full of snacks. In this regard, she was incredibly simr to Lee Dojin. She opened a bag of chips and handed them to him. "Here, have some." "...I thought bringing any sweets was prohibited," Kim Heeson muttered silently, as he eyed all the junk food with a salivating mouth. "Yes, but no teacher or guard would ever check on me. Can''t really me them, since I always behave." Kim Jyejin grinned, until furrowing vaguely. "...unlike someone else." "I''m a changed man," Heeson said, lowering his head in repentance. Kim Jyejin gave him a disapproving look, but there came nothing more of it. "Anyway, what are you guys studying so much for? It''s not like there''s a prize at the top. being a bit above average is enough, no?" "That''s the problem with guys like you." Jyejin stopped taking the snacks out and looked at him. "No ambition. I''m aware, not everyone can be a winner, but you are young enough to at least try. How are you going to keep yourself afloat, ten years from now?" "Yeah, yeah. What are you, my mum?" He closed his ears and stuck his tongue out. "Who cares as long as we live life well. What do you even want to be in the future, Miss niece-of-a-conglomerate." She tossed her head. "How rude. I want to write my own story, not be caught in someone else''s. Listen, I just don''t want to be forgotten, and I don''t want to be remembered as a mere family member of someone sessful. I don''t even see my uncle that often, it''s not like he stays in Seoul for long." Kim Heeson turned silent. He leaned back, causing his chair to tilt with him. It was as if he stared at the sky, though all he saw was the bleak white ceiling, illuminated by cheap fluorescent lights. "That''s fair," he said simply. "You made several good points which I can''t refuse, so that''s fair." "Looks like you can be understanding after all." Kim Heeson faced Lee Dojin, who was shaking the leftover dust in the chips into his mouth. Did he really already eat it all? "What about you?" "Shouldn''t you talk about yourself first?" Lee Dojin ced the empty package away, then took new snacks from Kim Jyejin. This time some matcha-vored pocky sticks. "If you promise I won''tugh." Lee Dojin took a bite. "No." "Man, you really know how to rile someone up." Kim Heeson sighed. "Fine, I''ll tell you." He paused for a moment, thinking if he should say it. But he had nothing to lose anyway. "I want to be a pro-gamer." "What, why?" Lee Dojin raised his brows at the unexpected answer. "I, uh, I don''t really know either. I just like games, and people told me I was good at it." He scratched his head in embarrassment. "Damn, are you also just gonna make fun of me?" "I''m notughing, am I?" Lee Dojin said nonchntly while continuing eating all of Kim Jyejin snacks, much to her chagrin. Kim Heeson turned quiet. His eyes opened wide. He thenughed loudly. "That''s true." The three of them continued talking, switching from topic to topic, their voices mellow and rich withughter. Kim Jyejin, who had been skeptical at first, slowly warmed up. Lee Dojin did not say much, but for some reason, the two could not help listen when he spoke. Their shadows grew fainter, as the sun moved away from Korea, and their lunch break to the end. "Oh yeah, you remember Park Wonho right?" Kim Heeson asked, but seeing Lee Dojin''s confused face, he knew the answer already. "You know, that big guy at the convenience store. The one who had gotten in an ''unfortunate ident''." Lee Dojin connected the dots. "Ah him. How is he? Still alive?" "You know, that may be a bit much to ask, so you can refuse if you want to." Kim Heeson smiled wryly. "But perhaps, if you have time, could you visit him? He''s been kind of different since the whole, uh, endeavor. Maybe he''d get better, knowing you aren''t the person we thought you to be." Chapter 26: Societys Culling Chapter 26: Society''s Culling While Lee Dojin, Kim Jyejin, and Kim Heeson were using the break to have a meaningful conversation, someone was getting an earful in the teacher''s office. "How many times do I have to say that, Ji-ah?" An older teacher shouted. But the man did not seem angry. He fell silent, brooding. His brows knitted together as he rubbed the knot away. "You have to stop being so hot-headed all the time." The two of them were in a private room, one designated specifically for situations like this. It was like a ssroom, but for teachers. Since the day Ji-ah had started, she had been told that this was the one ce she would never want to end up in. Because as long as two people were inside, one of them was getting scolded. Yet, here she was, not even half a year in her educator career. Ji-ah felt a cough, but she surpressed it. She had her head down, her hands on herp, and sat as upright as possible. "I understand," she squeezed out her mouth. Underneath the table, she clenched her fist tightly. "But I will not apologize for what I did." She could feel his disapproval. "I''m not asking for you to do so," the man leaned back. He stared up at the ceiling. The paperwork he had in his hand, he ced it away for now. "In fact, I''m sorry to be so inflexible." His voice switched to a mellower one. "But you have to understand where I aming from too. With your actions, you have endangered not only yourself but also the student and the school itself. What if these men were to get wild due to your interference? Could you have stopped them all? Thankfully, it all went well in the end." "I know that." She nodded. "I can''t help it. It''s just the way I was meant to be." She looked down at the desk. There was a tear running down to the corner. Like lightning. In a way, she saw herself akin to lightning too. Born from a rainy day, when darkness enveloped the streets and mist covered one''s sight, only the thunderous storms as a guide. She hoped to be lightning, bringing light to the shadows, catching everyone''s attention with a bang. Yet, it shed out so fast, so ephemeral. She felt better thinking about that. "Clearly these people came looking for someone with bad intentions. Should I have let those men drag him away? What if they assaulted the students regardless. Harm could havee from either side, so at least I wanted to do what I can." "With time, you will have to understand, that who you are is not decided by you." The man shook his head. "You will have to conform to society. That means, with parents, with, teachers and with the media. We cannot have another fiasco like this." He rubbes his chin. "You have your reasons for bing a teacher, I''m sure of that. And I''m sure there are just as many reasons why you chose this school. Didn''t a family member of yours attend here? That''s what you told me. But as long as you are here, you have to y by our rules." Ji-ah quietly looked out the window.She disagreed. She saw a big sparrow resting in the moss-garden. She closed her eyes. Innumerable thoughts went through her mind. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed them all down. "...but as a teacher, I always should look out for the student first, no?" "That''s what I''m saying. You are too hot-headed." The man sighed. The wind sighed with him, sinking the room''s temperature. "Look, you care about your career, don''t you? Yes, of course, you do. At one point, you will have to let your students go. Let them walk their own paths." He weaved his fingers together and ced them on the table, the way a sleazy politician did in a press conference. "As someone who has been in this business for years, prioritize yourself first, understood?" Ji-ah mmed her hands on the table. "Sir, but" "I asked if you understood." She faltered, seeing the eyes of that man. He didn''t say anything, but she felt there was great fury hiding behind it. And it was at that point, she realized, no matter what she said, no matter how right she believed herself to be, the man would never agree with her. Thedy bit her lips. The white curtains fluttered, letting in a cold breeze. There hung a silence above them, waiting to crash down. "Yes. I understood." The teacher smiled. For the first time. "See, not so hard, wasn''t it? Well, that will be it for today. You may leave." Ji-ah did not remember much afterward. She was lost in her own thoughts, wandering around the hall, only knowing that she had left through the door. Even during her lessons, she could only concentrate on what her supervisor said. She felt like she had done a great disservice to her students. However, the words of that teacher weighed heavily on her mind. A family member that attended the school. Yes, there was, it was her brother. She had told him, though he appeared to have forgotten. But she could never forget him. Every time she closed her eyes, the face of her brother would resurface, and she''d get emotional; Though she tried suppressing it. A school was their studentswhat a joke that seemed like now. She wrapped her head in a scarf and walked out the gates. A few light coughs escaped her lips, nothing too serious. Without really knowing when, the school day had ended for her. "Miss Ji-ah," someone called out to her, and she turned around. It was Dong Jowoon, her coworker, the teacher in a tracksuit, who had been with her at the morning patrol. He had shrunk back, seeing Ji-ahs expression. She touched her face, wondering if her negative emotions were that obvious. "Anyway," Dong Jowoon coughed twice. "So, about what happened in the morning..." He rubbed his head. "I just wanted to say I''m on your side." "What?" Ji-ah did not understand what he meant. In the first ce, she did not understand why that man talked to her. Sure, they were of the same school, but so were around a thousand other people. She taught Physics and Math, while he did English and Sport. There should be no ovep in their subjects. He continued. "You see, I was just wondering that maybe Seojin had gone too far in that room." He quickly corrected himself, realizing what he had said. "Wait, no, I did not eavesdrop or anything, I just passed by coincidentally and heard some words, nothing more. I just wanted to say you did the right thing." "Ah, okay. Thank you." She gave a halfhearted reply then bowed. There wasn''t anything she wished to say. Rather, she hoped to return home as soon as possible. Jowoon, seeing Baek Ji-ah''s interest fading, quickly and grabbed her shoulder tight. She flinched back, startled by his sudden actions, which made him retract his hands. But the damage had been done. Still, he tried to ask her. "Are you perhaps interested in a coffee?" "I''m sorry, I''m quite busy these days, maybe another time." She could only offer a hard, stiff smile. The man looked disappointed but did not give up. "Come on, maybe we can work something out?" He stepped forward. "I was wondering, are you perhaps single? Feel free not to answer if I''m overstepping though." Ji-ah coiled together as if all the unseen bolts in her face tightened together. She wanted to deny him outright, but her supervisor''s words kept ringing in her ears. Conforming to society, was it? She tried to let her eyes wander, as she did not know how to reply. Her sight naturally fell on a boy amidst the many students: Lee Dojin. They passed each other, their sight met. Memories of the morning resurfaced, and so did a few other ones too. The thoughts of her older brother ovepped with him. For a shameful second, she imagined that he''de saving her again, but of course, that did not ur. He gave her a quick nce, then passed by her. Still, just that brief meeting had seemed to give her respite in that seemingly hopeless situationif only a little. Meanwhile, Lee Dojin looked up. The thoughts about the Mother of Ravens dissipated rapidly. She had survived for many years, building her own legacy without his interference. She would manage. For others, it may have appeared as if he only watched the blue sky, but only he knew that there was something much more beautiful hovering above him: [A skill of yours has reached level 10. Would you like it to undergo a small revolution now, orter? The upgrade will take 1 hour.] He had skipped thest lesson and gone out to defeat the shadows. There was a shaded park just right around the corner, allowing him to effectively hunt them all down without anyone noticing. While doing so, he had leveled his skill to level 10. It was now time to reap his reward. Chapter 27: Soul Place Chapter 27: Soul ce "Yes." As he said so, a countdown immediately appeared. [00:00:59:49_82] And that was that. He ced the message in the corner of his mind and returned home. There wasn''t much he could do to speed up the process. At least not at this current stage. However, he did have faint anticipation for what woulde. "It wouldn''t be much, obviously, but for now, I''ll take anything that''s not a pile of shit," He said to himself andughed. Arriving at his home was easy. It took no less than 20 minutes, and the walk was mostly straight. If he hadn''t remembered by now, he really was a moron. Lee Dojin walked into an empty home. His mother was currently at work, leaving the space all for himself. He threw his backpack on the ground and walked to his room. With nothing to do, heid on his bed and took a rest. Tiredness had a way of creeping up on you after waking up early, and he shut his eyes, his consciousness steadily drifted away, until he was in a world of dreams. He shifted between many scenes, but they were always of his past life. Maybe it was a way for the brain to process all the information it couldn''t do in the daytime, or maybe he only wished to reminisce of a time now far away. He did not know. Still, he dreamed. Until he arrived at his deepest memories, far before The First Advent descended upon them. To a Hell, much more early. The sky was dark, hazy, and almost bleak. Around them, explosions rang out, with great fire burning the horizon red. The smog scorched his lungs while the ash blinded him. He had found himself on the floor, from his arm bleeding. Many people surrounded him, but he still felt lonely. Even within the fieriness, his heart remained cold. The fire rose, setting the old wood aze, it blistered and bubbled, until sumbing to the heat and turning to ashes. The roof crashed down, its rotten foundation could not withstand the fire, and it only served as tinder. ''Move it! Move it!'' He heard a voice shout. Their face, the person''s face, it felt so familiar, yet he could not pinpoint it. The neb of a dream had painted his identity away. It may have been a person whose memory he had long forgotten. He did not move. He could not. His sight was glued to the iridescent moon, shining upon him. He wished to stretch his hand out, simply grab it, then run away with it. Yet, the only thing in his hand was ash and dust. Someone like him would never reach the blue sky, no matter what happened. Thus, he could not move. "Dojin, Dojin! Snap out of it!" A girl screamed, her face also obscured by fog. She shook him hard, hoping to catch his attention. "You''re going to be buried alive if you don''t run now!" "I''m going to die," he thought, and these words quietly left his mouth, like the serene whisper of the grim reaper. But those words woke him up. Enough for him to use his legs and bolt. There was little he could do other than escape, the same thing everyone else did. Tens of children, young and malnourished, draped only in a white coat, tried to leave the orphanage as fast as they could. And he would not be an exception. The girl held his hand, guiding him to the exit. She fought through the numerous broken walls and burned doors, her coughs full of phlegm which she seemed to choke on. Out of the blue, a window fell, barely missing them, but the broken shards bounced through the room, some piercing through her skin. The girl bit her lips, fighting through the pain. She stretched her arm out, it was covered in bruises. "Stop," she said, her face grim. Deep footfalls echoed in the air, graduallying closer. The two of them gulped, sweat running down their faces. For a second, they even felt chilly within this stifling heat. For some reason, he knew exactly who was walking towards them. "Shit, and here I thought my luck had run out. Dojin and Wenji. Talk about a bingo." A rough voice escaped through the endless fire and reached his ears. He heard a whistle, though it wasn''t humanlike. A shudder ran down his spine, and his instincts told him to duck, and he just managed to pull the girl down too. A flying ax passed their heads, then anchored itself in the wall behind them. "Stupid kids, it could have ended much easier if you''d have just let that thing split your head." The man clicked his tongue. His face, unlike others, appeared clear as day. Long hair cascading down his face, a scruffy beard, and dark, deep-set eyes that contained no soul. The Wanderer, Alitta. His caretaker, his father. The man had strolled through the mes, his left arm and eye caught on fire, yet he was unbothered by it. In his hand, he held another ax. A cruel smile escaped his lips. "Little Dojin. Are you going to run again?" Lee Dojin awoke. No, he was jolted awake, by his phone ringing on the desk. He gasped, longing for air. Sweat had drenched his shirt, and he could feel his palpating heartbeat. He checked his surroundings to ascertain he was still in his own room. Except for the lingering dream, there wasn''t anything out of the ordinary. He searched for his phone, wondering what its problem was. It was a call. He epted it, for it had been the only person in his contacts that he knew. "Taewon, what''s up? Why are you calling?" A buzzing, metallic voice answered. "Yo, Hyung? Sorry for suddenly calling you. Are you busy?" Lee Dojin took his shirt off. The sweat made it stick to his skin, which felt rather nasty. "No, not really." "Good, good," Kim Taewon said happily. Lee Dojin could almost imagine him jumping smiling joyfully, with his girlfriend, Yoo Dahee, probably cheering him on by the sidelines. The couple was always so animated. Such innocent thoughts gave him respite from that heavy dream. His mood brightened a bit. "Say, have you eaten anything yet? If not, wanna go out and grab something? Of course, it''s my treat." "Sure." He leaned against the table. "But this time, we''re going to my choice." "Hahaha. If that makes you happy. Why not?" On the other side of the phone, Lee Dojin could hear Yoo Dahee giving her agreement. "I mean, what''s the worst that can happen?" ... "Wait are you sure?" Kim Taewon, who had just arrived at the destination, did not quite know what to say. In front of him was a dpidated house, in dim light. The front porch-if it could be called one-had not been cleaned for years. The door had signs of wear and tear, and the windows didn''t appear that well insted. His girlfriend nodded in agreement. It was thete afternoon, Lee Dojin had arrived first, sitting on a bench at the front. While alone, he had spent his time reminiscing about his past again. The light ofte winter, slipping into the dark had many magical qualities to it, and with it, it brought strong memories back. Naturally, the strange dream he had, elevated his mncholy. He could not help wonder if it had any deeper meaning. "It''s a buffet. There aren''t many around here so I''m rather thankful for this one." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. If they didn''t want to eat, that''s fine, but he had passed this ce quite often these days, and he really wished to give it a try. Without waiting for the couple to decide, he entered the establishment. The inside was quite nice inparison, though it could notpare to the ce Kim Taewon had brought him the other day. "Hmm, looks like we really shouldn''t judge a book by its cover." The couple analyzed the surrounding, and they too were pleasantly surprised. They took a free seat, of which there were many, and then ordered their drinks. Kim Taewon ordered soju, while Yoo Dahee an orange juice. For Lee Dojin, a ss of water sufficed (though he''d love to indulge in alcohol too). As it was self-service when it came to the food, the three of them grabbed a te and picked what they liked. However, when they returned, there was one that differed from the others. Yoo Dahee stared at Lee Dojin''s te, carrying a mountain of food. "You''re going to eat this business to the ground..." "They knew the consequences of starting such a business." Lee Dojin started eating his food. Kim Taewonughed. He filled a ss with soju, then mixed it with some beer. "Well, eat up then." He took a bite of a spring roll. "Woah, it''s pretty good." He ate his food with relish. Yoo Dahee looked at the two men stuffing their mouths full of junk. She sighed. Men could be such brutes. But she did agree, the taste wasn''t bad. "So, how''s school going," Kim Taewon asked Lee Dojin. "Good question," he replied. "I guess so-so. I''m not going that often." "Haha, I knew it," Kim Taewon said and cleared his throat a little, "you don''t seem like a person that''s into studying." "That''s awfully rude. But true." He took a sip of his water. "So, what did you call me for?" "Ohe on, I just wanted to have a little chat. There''s no reason behind it," Kim Taewon said andughed nervously. Lee Dojin realized, he was hiding something, but doing a poor job at it. Yoo Dahee gave him a quick nce then shook her head. Lee Dojin looked at the couple. They smiled at him; Kim Taewon tilted his head, wondering why he had turned silent. He supposed it was not time for the real topic yet. "Well, let''s chat then." He ced his cutlery down and listened to their story. The chatter of the other customers resounded in the restaurant, and there was a constant huming from old machinery. Quiet instrumentals peacefully yed in the background. Though only Lee Dojin knew, serenity was fleeting and this ordinary restaurant was the first to disappear during The First Advent. The couple talked about their daymostly Kim Taewonand Lee Dojin listened, sometimes responding with a nod. asionally, Taewon would take a sip of soju, his face brightening a little bit, but not enough for him to get the buzz on. Kim Taewon was an assistant manager in arge packing firm on the outskirts of Seoul. His father had offered him a job at theirpany, but he declined it, saying he wanted to do something for himself. His real homey in Busan, though he loved it here more. In Seoul, the city never stopped movingpeople, cars, billboards, stores, offices, drains, pipes, cables, above and below. Like the universe itself, it continued expanding, to a point where no one knew when it would stop. The city never stopped changing, and Kim Taewon liked that. In Busan, space is given to you. In Seoul, you had to make it yourself. He did not want to step into his father''s footsteps. He wanted to be himself. Even if it meant to catch his wrath. He had been told, the capital was fast and untrustworthy. The city pressed the individuality out of its citizens. A man without a ce would remain lost in the sea forever, until, by the end of it, they''d find themself jumping off the roof. "My pops told me the capital wasn''t all that, and I would be disappointed," Kim Taewon said, "but I disagree. He just went at it the wrong way. In a city like Seoul, peacees not from money, safety or society." He grinned and pointed at his mind. "It came from your soul. When you find love from the inside, when you''ve carved your space and set your boundaries, that''s when you can call this ce your home, and then, no boundlessness can overwhelm you. That''s the beauty of Seoul." Yoo Daheeughed. She liked it when her boyfriend talked like that. It was one of his most endearing qualities. The man was a dreamer, though he did not want to admit it. "Though I have to admit," Kim Taewon leaned back. "I do love money. Shit, maybe I should have taken over my dad''s position after all." Lee Dojin finished his third te. Looking at Kim Taewon, his bleached hair and tattoos, he did not strike him like an ordinary office worker. "And what does your dad do? If you don''t mind me asking." "He''s a loan shark, why?" "Nothing." That did exin it. He did seem to be of an affluent family, but Lee Dojin hadn''t expected his money toe from there. "I''m thinking of getting into stocks. There''s this gamepany which is doing well." Kim Taewon took out a cigarette. He was nning on smoking one outside, but the cold was rather uninviting. "Maybe my money shoots through the roof, that''d be awesome." "I''d not rmend it to be honest," Lee Dojin said after a quick thought. Thinking back, The First Advent would wreak havoc in the stock market too. Sadly, he did not pay attention enough to understand whatpanies would soar or crumble. "I think domestically, Hojin Machinery and Smithing would be a new powerhouse though." As that was where he had gotten his equipment refined before. There always was a long line there. "Never heard of it," Kim Taewon said tly. "But why not, I''ll look at it." Lee Dojin had to interject, "Hold it, I don''t want you to lose all your money and me me." "Come on Hyung, do I look like such a person?" "I mean, if we go by looks, yes." Yoo Dahee ced her chopsticks down. "But Dojin, don''t worry. He may be a moron, and a naive one at that, but he can take his own responsibility." "It''s not like you are any better," Kim Taewon chirped back. The two of themughed. They were both people that easily got into trouble after all. "Anyways, Hyung, what''s your ce?" "ce?" "You know, just like I said. In this city that never rests, how do you carve out your ce?" He leaned forward, anticipating the answer. "For me, it''s the nightlife. Drinking, eating, clubbing, and all that. It used to be women too, but I''ve since found the one I liked." Lee Dojin thought about the question. He stopped eating. Kim Taewon had stopped talking. He remained opposite from him, ying with his cigarette. "It''s belief," Lee Dojin answered. "Belief in my strength and conviction." He clenched his hand into a fist. "Belief that no matter what stands in my way, I will destroy it." "Belief," Kim Taewon repeated the word as if mulling over its meaning. "A simple answer, but still it fits you I feel." Heughed loudly. Lee Dojin waited for him to stop. He wasn''t in a rush. When the silence returned, he asked, "So, what''s on your mind?" Kim Taewon became serious. "Have you ever heard of Sivi Private School?" His eyes opened wide. Of course, he knew. It was the high school in his past life. Chapter 28: Sivilla Private School Chapter 28: Sivi Private School Sivi Private school. That name in itself brought nostalgic memories back, albeit not always good ones. ... "There''s no such thing as good and evil," Do Jiwoon said. At the same time, the man bandaged Lee Dojin''s hands. It was hard to tell where the two of them were, as the shadows obscured their image. "It used to be much worse before, you know?" At first nce, this stranger appeared amicable, almost reassuring, but Dojin knew the truth. Short ck hair, a tall figure, and blue irises, deep and unfathomable as the ocean. He was another monster, just like Allita had been. "If this is peptalk, you''re doing a bad job at it." Lee Dojin looked at his fists. "Now piss off." "Rx." Do Jiwoon grabbed Lee Dojin''s face. He stared at him, his eyes forming into half-moons. "I was just like you, you know. Just an ordinary student at Sivi. So eager to prove myself. I do believe it is instinctive in men to prove themselves, almost like it''s in our genes." Heughed, but quickly turned serious. "Still, you have to realize the world does not give a fuck about you. It owes you nothing. And at one point, life''s gonna take your buttons away, and the boys that can''t deal with that, inevitably offer their life too." He ced his hand on Lee Dojin''s shoulder. "The sooner you understand, the better." "If I wanted a life lesson, I''d have gone to a priest." Lee Dojin put on the boxing gloves. He took the loosece into his mouth and tightened them with a bite. "It''s not like this is the first time for me." Do Jiwoons smile faltered a little. "Sure. I just wanted you to know." He walked away. "It used to be much worse than this." Lee Dojin stood up. The headlight shone upon him. He had a bruised face, with one eyepletely ck. His lips had several splits that spurted blood, and his nose was crooked to the side. In front of him, there were several students, much older and bigger than himand also wearing boxing gloves. They all had the same hateful expression of wrath, envy, and greed. Sharp eyes, with a tired expression. As if anger was the only thing that guided them. Like junkies in need of a fix, only instead of coke, they needed violence to release their dopamine. Even now, Lee Dojin remembered their faces. And he had made his mind, even if the world was to end, he''d never make the same disgusting faces like them. "It''s not going to end the way you want," Lee Dojin muttered, his face serene. He wiped the blood off his forehead. It was obscuring his vision. A grin appeared on his face, as he licked his crimson lips. "I assure you that." ... "Hey, Dojin, are you listening?" Kim Taewon tilted his head. He responded quickly, his old memories disappearing. "Ah, yes, I was lost in thoughts, sorry." "No worries. Where was I?" Taewon asked himself, and stuffed a pickled radish into his mouth. As he chewed, he remembered, "Oh right, Sivi private school. Do you know it?" Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. "I suppose I do." Though he wasn''t sure how different that ce was inparison to his original world. Well, it didn''t matter to him now anyway. All the problems f his past life seemed rather negligible in the face of destruction. "Why do you ask?" "Hmm, how do I start?" Kim Taewon scratched his head, wondering what words he should use." "Tsk, you''re an idiot. I will do it," Yoo Dahee chimed in. She cleaned her mouth with a napkin and asked Lee Dojin a question. "Do you know the meaning of the ck ring?" Lee Dojin almostughed as he heard that name. Naturally, as a denizen of that private school, he held great knowledge about the way it was run. The ''ck ring'' brought back man fond memories by itself. Still, he could not show that to the couple. Not only would it be suspicious, it was all around weird for him to know the intricacies of a school he held no connection to. Thus, he replied, "I''ve heard of the school, but I''m unsure what you are talking about." Yoo Dahee continued, "It''s understandable, really. They are very secretive of their teaching regiment." She sighed. "Well, to exin, you first have to understand the nature of Sivi." The woman then looked at her boyfriend, waiting for him to exin. Kim Taewon picked the clue and began narrating. "Well, I''m not sure how to start, since I''ve never really seen that school from inside." He ced his cigarette down. It was no time for smoking. "Still from the little snippets I gathered, that ce is hell." "Well, I wouldn''t go that far," Lee Dojin couldn''t helpment. Truthfully speaking, from all the experiences he had in his life, this was one of the better ones. How sad would he appear if one of his better memories was associated with the underworld itself? "I mean, at least they still get an education with a certificate that is valid, right?" Yoo Dahee shook her head. "It''s easy to say when you''ve never been there." She shuddered. "I don''t know how that ce is still running. I''d rather off myself than spent a month in that hellhole. They take you, strip you naked, delete your beliefs and turn you into a robot without feelings." "...Oh, okay." Lee Dojin felt a little disheartened after hearing that. Did he really lead such a miserable life? There''s no way. right? Right? However, his little hope shattered as Yoo Dahee exined her thoughts. "See, there''s one thing Sivi does well. I think it was founded by an army general who fought in the 6.25, and tried to integrate its values into the school. You can imagine how that worked out. The first thing they learn upon entering Sivi is to trust no one. The students are pitted against each other. The first night, you are stripped of your belongings, including your hair and clothes. If someone did not agree with their rules, they''d be put in a time out and stuffed into a locker with no venttion. Every night, they hold a therapy session which is nothing more than a glorified hate session. You write down who angered you the most and scream at them for 2 minutes. The person could not react during that time. Participation was mandatory." Lee Dojin did not react. He only continued listening to their story with great interest. Kim Taewon took the conversation over. "And in within that group, there''s a ce reserved for the greatest troublemakers. The ce is known as the ''ck ring''." He took another shot of soju. "Well, the school calls it a sports program, but everyone knows that it''s just a makeshift torture chamber. They send you in a boxing ring, gloves on, and have you spar in the ring. At first, they start 1 on 1, and if you manage to beat the first person, another one enters, full of vigor, ready to beat you down. And then another, and another, until it would not be only one person at a time. This continued until you are unable to lift your hands anymore. And they''d make sure that any rebellion within you remained stifled for the rest of your school term, pummeling you into the ground until even your ego vanished." "Oho." Lee Dojin ate more food. He wasn''t that hungry, but he wanted to fill his stomach since he had the chance. At the same time, he was surprised by the couple''s knowledge. It was exactly as they said. They recounted his experience as if they had been part of it themselves. "So, what''s the problem here?" "Have you ever heard of the name Do Jiwoon?" A bolt as strong as lightning ran through Lee Dojin. How could he not know the name of that man? He almost wished to say yes, but wisely held his mouth. "No, what''s with him?" "Well, usually, the ck ring is made to break you down, but he overturned the idea. With strength alone, he beat every challenger himself." Kim Taewon held his head. "Can you believe that? He took on around fifty people by himself and beat them to the ground. It''s inhuman." "That bastard." Lee Dojin bit his nail. He thought about the Do Jiwoon of his previous life. In there, he had never appeared as the fighting type. Instead, Lee Dojin took the role of crushing the ck ring, andter on even the school itselfthough deep down, he knew that guy was hiding way more than he let on. "But what I don''t understand is what it has to do with you. Are you an alumnus of that ce or something?" "No, it''s nothing like that." Yoo Dahee shook her head. "They are interfering with business. I''m sure you know by now what people we are. We can''t help ourselves getting involved in other people''s affairs. However, they have turned it from a simple children squabble into something that involves the underground itself. Taewon here knows best, since due to his father, he''s still intimately involved in that branch after all." "Wait you guys work together?" "Oh my, didn''t I tell you?" The womanughed coyly. "I''m that idiot''s boss." Lee Dojin''s eyes opened wide. He was at a loss for words. "Honestly, that''s the biggest shock I''ve received all day." "Well, you are in for a treat yet," she said and proudly stuck her chest out. "The two of us are full of surprises." Kim Taewon coughed twice, to redirect the conversation back to Sivi Highschool. "Anyway, to conclude, Do Jiwoon has been dealing around in the underworld, and he has gotten involved with a person from your school. You do go to Baek Majin High, right? That rich people school." "The person they are in contact with is called Il Chunghoo. You don''t have to answer, but I only wanted to ask, do you know anything about that guy?" "Sorry, never heard of him." Well, it was only natural, since he hadn''t been part of the school for that long. "However, I think I may know someone who does." His mind drifted to Kim Jyejin. Surely, she must have some info that could help. And more importantly, he was interested in what that bastard Do Jiwoon had been up to in this world. Chapter 29: Il Chunghoo Chapter 29: Il Chunghoo "Oh yeah, I know that dude, Il Chunghoo." Kim Jyejin said as she took a sip from her c. She didn''t order anything to eat, as she believed it would cause her face to bloat the next day. "But shouldn''t you know better than me?" She sat next to Yoo Dahee, who weed her warming. Since the group all had outgoing personalities, it wasn''t hard for them to get along quickly. In the first ce, the couple seemed to be in need of info, and Kim Jyejin had been bored anyway, so it all worked out. Lee Dojin pointed at himself. "Me? Why?" "Well, since his homeroom teacher is your darling, miss Ji-ah," she replied andughed loudly. Yoo Dahee''s eyes glimmered at the news. "Wait for realsies?" She gasped and ced her hand on her mouth, trying to hide a smile. "You have a girlfriend? And it''s with a teacher? Aren''t you a naughty boy." "I don''t want to hear that from you." Lee Dojin flicked both girls'' foreheads. "Also, I barely know that woman. Let''s return to the topic, shall we, it''s gettingte." Kim Jyejin rubbed her head and sulked. "What? First, you call me her without any notice and now you want to send me away? That''s so cold of you." "Yes, yes. I''ll entertain youter, is that fine?" "That''s a deal then." She nodded wholeheartedly. "Anyways, that Il Chunghoo. It''s not like I know a lot about him since he is few years below us. But he remained in my mind since he was just like you, always skipping ss." Kim Taewons face brightened. "Is that so? That''s perfect, isn''t it? Since you two have a lot inmon, you could get together," he said, then backtracked his words. "Of course, only if you want to. I''m not forcing you at all, Hyung." "Ah, don''t misunderstand," Kim Jyejin retorted. She slurped the rest of her c and then ordered another one. "Unlike Dojin, Chunghoo is a real troublemaker. He regrly gets into fights and the teachers keep giving him detentions. Really makes you wonder how he got into this school in the first ce." "Looks like there''s a ck sheep in every herd, no matter what," Lee Dojin said. "Good thing I''m a nice person." Kim Taewon listened to the two talk, but with time, his eyebrows scrunched together, unsure of what he was listening to. Confused, he asked, "Wait? Didn''t you just perfectly describe Lee Dojin?" Granted, he never saw that guy at school, but judging by his past behavior and his personality, he''d assume Lee Dojin was the king of all troublemakers. "No way, I''m a good guy," hemented and gave a thumbs up. Kim Jyejinughed so loud, she almost screamed, the other customers even took a peek to see what was happening. "If that dude was a troublemaker, then I''d be Satan himself. Did you know, Dojin got in with a schrship. Yeah, that''s right. He''s a real bookworm." She held her belly, the giggles were giving her cramps. "Though he seems to have gone through some image change these days." Lee Dojin nodded in appreciation. "That''s correct." Kim Taewon and Yoo Dahee tilted their heads, almost creating a 90-degree angle. Great puzzlement shed on their faces. "Lee Dojin?" Yoo Dahee pointed at him. "That guy? The one sitting there? The one with that beastly look, that looks like he would bite you if you stared at him wrong?" Kim Jyejin nodded to all four of the questions. "I see." The couple couldn''t close their mouths. The astonishment made their jaws stuck wide open. Question-marks seemed to be floating over Yoo Dahee''s head. They looked at Lee Dojin, who blinked innocently. "...You really learn new things every day, huh?" "Well, putting aside my questionable character, what''s that Il Chunghoo up to, that got him involved with Sivi High?" Kim Taewon pondered. "You really know how to ask the tough questions." He rubbed his head, thinking about how he should start exining. "Well, to preface this, I don''t think it''s only him. There are other people in your school that are probably involved in this too." "What? involved in what? Also, who is Sivi?" Kim Jyejin asked. She hadn''t been informed about the events. Kim Taewon thought whether he should tell her. Well, since it was Lee Dojin who brought her, she should be trustworthy. Above all, the girl seemed rather likable, so why not? "Well, to summarize, it''s about the school you go working together with some bunch of ouws and doing no-good things." "Uh, okay?" She did not understand. "Do you watch anime," Yoo Dahee asked her. Kim Jyejin nodded. "Sometimes." "It''s like that one arc in Bleach where the Hollows are colluding with Shinigamis to bring down Soul society," she said. "Overall, pretty bad." "Oh, I got it. You should have exined it like that from the start," Jyejin grumbled as if someone had done her great disservice. As the evening started taking its leave and night came creeping in, more customers entered, hoping for a seat. The sound of chatter and cutlery increased, making the whole restaurant more lively. Kim Taewon was unsure how to reply. Instead, he simply coughed twice. "Moving on, after Jiwoon beat everyone into submission, he reformed the school into his image. For extracurricr activities, he had implemented a system where the students would work without pay, producing clothes, packaging, and other misceneous items and sell them for cheap." He turned serious. "The way they undersell the product negatively impact all theirpetitors in the marketincluding us. It''s hampering the business." "But more importantly," Yoo Dahee said, " "Man, that sounds like a bad manwha," Kim Jyejinmented. "Don''t they have teachers or something?" "They do, but it''s a bit different than you''d expect with an ordinary school," this time, lee Dojinmented. "The teachers are there only for the lessons and leave right after. For the rest, it''s those bastards that call themselves educators who run the school. You''d have ss in the evening, but they''d be without talking, mostly only taking notes or self-study. There wasn''t a real exam until the end, and you''d never get to leave that hellhole until you pass it or kill yourself." Under the table, he clenched his fists. "Well, or you could be such a massive pain in the but that they throw you out." Just like he himself had been. "You really know a lot," Kim Taewon remarked. "Well, the problem here is that your school acts kind of as a bridge to market the products of that school. For every contract sold, they''d get amission. It was hard tracking down that info since we were always searching within adult groups, but now that I think about it, it makes sense. It''s perfect since the people there are made out of upper-middle-ss children anyway, so they can just advertise it to their parents or something." He sighed and leaned back. His soju bottle had run dry, but he had no intention of refilling it. "That''s mainly the gist of it." "And you wanted to ask for help," Lee Dojin asked, and judging by Kim Taewons creation, that seemed about right. He crossed his legs and rested his chin on his fists. "You know," he paused, "normally I''d refuse such a trivial task since I am quite busy." Hearing that, Kim Taewons shoulders slumped. He hadn''t expected a lot anyway, and unlike himself, Lee Dojin didn''t seem to need his help, so he''d find it hard repaying him. "However, since I''ve got some personal business rting to that ce, I will ept it." These words immediately rekindled Kim Taewons spirits. "That means" "Oh, I have a condition though." Lee Dojin lifted his finger and smiled. "Let me deal with Do Jiwoon." ... Kim Jyejin and Lee Dojin walked down the street. The endless night hung above them, with almost no stars to be seen. It was a new moon, thus it hid in the shadows, obscured and away from the eyes of humanity. Still, the ce was not dark, as the neon signs, bar lights, and innumerable streetmps illuminated the way, fending off against nature''s shade. Jyejin walked on the edge of the pathway, stretching her arms out and trying to bnce herself on the elevated bricks. At times she''d fall down, but she''d quickly prop herself up, and continue tiptoeing down the street. Lee Dojin held her coat in his arms. She had told him it was too warm. "This really brings back memories," Kim Jyejin said. "I remember when were walking home with your mum. I was running down a street much like this. Meanwhile, you were holding your mother''s back. Come to think of it, you were always a mommas boy. I pulled your hand but you didn''t want toe and fought back, so I pulled harder, and in the end, we both tripped. Haha, we didn''t talk for a few days after that." She looked up at the sky. "Time really does fly, huh, Dojin?" Lee Doji didn''t say anything. He believed he had no right to reply, thus he chose to stay silent. "Are you sure, about epting the offer?" She asked him. Lee Dojin only saw her back, and could not see what expression she was making. "It sounds unsafe." Lee Dojin replied immediately. "Yes." She stopped walking and turned around. She had a smile, but her eyes betrayed her worries. With an uncertain voice, she asked him, "Hey, who are you?" That question caught him off-guard. For a second, he did not know how to answer. Thankfully, Kim Jyejin continued talking. "I''m joking, what''s with that worried face?" She brushed her hair aside. "You will be fine, right?" He answered again. "Yes." There was no hesitation in his tone. "I''m Lee Dojin, after all." She grinned at him. "Good." The two continued walking with a queer quiet in between them. In the distance, far away from this street, from Seoul, and even from Korea, unbeknownst to anyone but Lee Dojin, a gigantic shadow steadily crept towards the earth. It came from the distant universe, traveling eons, and swallowing everything in its path. Stars,s, ckholes, nothing was safe. One could hardly imagine what would happen, were Earth toe in contact with it. The Mirage wasing, and it didn''t n on stopping. Chapter 30: Brotherly Illness Chapter 30: Brotherly Illness "Your Highness, please, I ask you to be reasonable," a servant asked Hassan. However, he did not listen. Instead, he put his jacket on. "Amir, I understand your worries, but you cannot stop me." The rank list kept repeating itself in his mind. The numbers he saw will forever remain ingrained in his soul. He even almost walked into a wall, as he was lost in thoughts. The Inheritor of the Universe. Goosebumps overwhelmed him, but he could not help smiling. Harsh winds kept enveloping him as airnes flew past him, either arriving or leaving. Surrounding the airport was only the desert. Lights blinked in the distance, and he heard metallic buzzing noises, but except for him and the servant following him, there were no signs of life. He looked up into the sky and squinted his eyes. The sun shone brightly, with no clouds in sight, a perfect day for lift-off. "Sir, you are being unreasonable." The servant said and gasped for breath. He had been running after the prince the whole time. His Highness was known for his entric behavior but this was still too much. "What will His Majesty, your father think of you leaving the country during these unruly times? And what about your siblings?" Hassan arrived at his private jet. It was smaller than the nes surrounding it, but it was painted ck, with goldcquer enveloping it, making it look more luxurious than any other vehicle in the vicinity. He turned to Amir and spoke, "Did you know? Before I turned twelve, my older brothers didn''t even look at me. They''d treat me like air as if I didn''t exist." Heughed out. "There was a time where I followed them through the desert," he stretched his hands out, "one, that looked almost identical to this one. Yes. And at one point, while constantly trying to keep up with them, I broke down and slumped into the sand. Do you know what they did?" The servant didn''t understand. "Your Highness, I''m not sure I follow." "Nothing. They did nothing. Leaving me there to die. If it weren''t for my mother searching frantically for me even at night, I''d probably be part of nature now." He licked his chapped lips, a grin appeared on his face. "But now, my mother is not here anymore. I only have myself, Amir. You have to realize Amir, it doesn''t matter if you are a king, a hero, or the devil. In the end, we all die alone." He stepped up the ne, turning his back at his home. The servant did not follow him anymore. Though it did not matter even if he did. As he boarded the jet, the outside noise dimmed and was instead reced by soft orchestral music. The heat of the desert disappeared and made way for afortable breeze to embrace him. A beautiful stewardess took his jacket, and he took a seat. Waiting for the jet to take flight, he rested his chin on his palm and stared out the window. His thoughts swirled again. Inheritor of the Universe. Now, not only his stupid brothers but even his own father, the king, had gotten wind of that personthough it had been far toote. "I know it. Only I do." He chuckled to himself. A sharp glint appeared in his irises but it quickly waned, hidden behind a yful smile. "Wait for me, brothers. When Ie back, you won''t be able to forget me, even if you bloody tried." 5 days before The First Advent The Inheritor of the Universe reaches the top 20 of the rankings. ... Lee Dojin cracked his neck. The shadows around himor the remnant of the shadowsreceded and returned to normal. He sighed, for he had grown bored of the whole exchange. Today, he hadn''t even broken a sweat. Every day, he''d do the same thing alone. If possible, he''d have loved to tell people about the system. Hell, why stop at only a few? Why not the whole world? He didn''t mind if The Mirage eliminated him afterward if the world would be saved in return. However, there were many reasons why he couldn''t, and that frustrated him. "Well, it''s not like I can change it for now." He dusted the sand off his shirt and ced the backpack on his shoulder. The park returned to its normalcy. The only traces left were some scratch marks and his footprints shuffling around on the ground. The clouds above him were dark, so he wanted to leave before it started raining. He took a sip from his water bottle and then wiped his mouth. "That reminds me, didn''t Heeson tell me to meet that Park Wonho." He remembered vaguely, it was the big guy he had pummeled to the ground. The current Lee Dojin did not have any connection to him, but it may still be good if he were toy his old regrets to rest. In the first ce, he already knew the location, so there was no harm in checking it out. ... "I''m sorry, uh, Dojin, is that correct?" The nurse at the counter typed something into theputer. White light reflected on her face, brightening her screen. She squinted to properly read the info. "You said he was an acquaintance of yours?" "That is correct," he said and nodded. "Hmm, this will be difficult," she replied and rubbed her temples. "The patient you are looking for is a special case you see. I''ll have to ask the doctor, please take a seat over there." Lee Dojin followed her instructions and took a seat. He took a look at his surroundings. A soothing melody yed in the background. In front of him was a sneezing kid, with his mother by his side. An olddy browsed through the worn-out catalogs, and a young man impatiently nced at the clock. Many more people came and went, but it hadn''t reached the volume yet, where there would be a death every day and the corpses continued to pile into a mountain. "Uhm, Lee Dojin, the nurse called his name. She held"I''m sorry, the patient you are trying to visit is currently in a highly erratic state. It would be best if youe another time. I apologize for the inconvenience." "It''s fine," he replied, though he did not know what to do now. He walked out, thinking about his next steps. Maybe he should just wait for his mother to return and talk with her? Apart from gaining potential levels, it was generally nice seeing her lively face again, after he thought he had lost her forever. However, as he passed the rooms, his eyes widened due to the unexpected sight. He stared into the window and said, "Baek Ji-ah?" Ji-ah, who sat on a patient''s bed, with a needle poking into her arm, turned around, realizing her name was called. Her eyebrows shot up, seeing Lee Dojin standing outside, observing her with a quizzical gaze. She did not know how to react. "It''s you, right? What are you doing here?" Ji-ah retorted quickly. "What am I supposed to be doing in a hospital?" She then held her mouth. "Sorry, that was rude of me." Constantly staring at these yellowish walls made her rather irate. Lee Dojin shook his head, showing he did not mind. "We seem to bump into each other quite often these days," hemented and chuckled. "Say, you aren''t following me, are you?" "That''s my line," Ji-ah said andughed. "What are you even doing here? Did you catch a cold?" She grabbed her IV and walked to the window. She wore a patient''s gown. Her hair formed a messy bun, and she had no make-up onbut she still looked great. The dark clouds hovered above them, with few raindrops beginning to form andnd. The people gradually disappeared from the streets, either returning to the hospital or home. The only ones who did not mind were Ji-ah and Dojin. "I was visiting," Lee Dojin said and leaned against the window trim. "And I suppose you are here because of your illness?" Ji-ah shrunk back, her palm tightening around the IV. "Wait, how do you know about that?" Lee Dojin eyed her up and down. "I mean, it''s not hard to tell." "Ugh." She groaned, thinking about her get-up. She could not refute. "That is true." She was really unlucky. To have a student see her in such a state, and it was that Lee Dojin too. There was no greater misfortune. She nced at the boy, who waited for her to talk. So she did. "Hey, do you mind listening to me for a little?" "I''m already here, so sure." She smiled. "You know, I chose the school because of my older brother and was also why I chose to be a teacher. See, he was never really good at studying, and would rather spend his time around bad influence, skipping school and drinking alcohol or smoking. He''d end up fighting with our parents all the time too. My mother always told me not to be like him." She giggled. "However, there was one time he came home, silent, and went straight to his room to do his homework. We were all shocked by that. Ever since then, he never skipped school. It was onlyter that I found out it was a teacher that had helped him, listened to him, and cared for him when no one else did. He said he owed that teacher his life." She took a breath. "I always kept this story close to my heart, and I wanted to be a teacher like that." The rain came pouring down, washing the world off its sorrows. Lee Dojin continued listening to Ji-ah. The water did not touch him, as he stood underneath the roof. "He does remind me of you at times," she said. "I don''t know, maybe it''s something in your eyes, or your behavior. It''s hard to tell. He went on to be a doctor. Though he never got to realize his dreams." She became silent. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she faced the ground. "He was hit by a drunk driver, someone who had many incidences before of reckless endangerment before. He went on living for another 5 days until sumbing to his injuries. My stoic father still regrly weeps, saying he could never forget his son lying in the bed, red bandages wrapping what had no chance of recovery." She paused. "But I only remember his face, just before he went out. His smile, his hope." "I''m sorry for your loss," Lee Dojin told her. And he really did mean it. He too knew the pains of losing someone. Ji-ah gently shook her head. "It''s fine. It''s been a while after all. You learn to move on, and the pain that used to rip me apart is now only the size of a bad toothache." She gave him an encouraging smile, though Lee Dojin saw right through it. "It''s onlyter I found out that his moodiness came from my illness. It''s hard finding joy in life when someone you love is close to death''s door all the time. I''de to learn that too. He became a doctor for me. To cure my illness." She ced her hand on Lee Dojin''s head. "But there is no medicine for what I have. Just as the dead stay dead, my fate too seems inevitable." After the death of his mother, there hadn''t been many who touched him this gently. No one dared to. However, this time, he allowed it. In the first ce, her eyes did not seem to face him. She looked at the sky. There was a short silence, until she said, "Dojin, I think I''ll quit being a teacher." Chapter 31: Conviction Chapter 31: Conviction Ji-ahs head ached. She put her palm on her forehead and pulled away, wincing, as if having touched a hot pan. She ced the IV feedtwo bottles suspended on a metal rod, with a tube from each and poking into her armaway from her and took a seat. "Well, even if I were to go to school, I don''t know how long it willst," she said. "It was fun to give it a try though, even if it hadn''t always brought joy. Still, seeing my students and watching them grow made it worth it." Sheughed lightly. "Ah, don''t worry though, my illness isn''t contagious. I''m not that irresponsible to risk spreading it." She pointed at her chest. "See, it seems to be a gic mutation, though I don''t understand that much of it either. You know, the doctors always have a way to avoid the questions, either by changing the topic entirely or wrapping it neatly in a bundle of medical jargon that you didn''t even want to listen to. But in essence, it''s something with my lungs. Something about a disease that decays the tissue around them. And if that reached my heart, that would be the end of me, I suppose." "It doesn''t sound too pleasant, putting aside the health-risk." Lee Dojin patiently let her speak her story. He had ced the backpack on the ground, which in turn was getting wet due to the rain building up around the pathways. He looked at Baek Ji-ah and asked her, "Say, do you mind if Ie in?" Ji-ah stared at Lee Dojin. She was rather hesitant. Even if she nned on quitting the educator job, it would set a bad precedence for a student and teacher to get too intimate. However, when her eyes fell on his soaked backpack and shoes, she felt bad for making him wait outside in such cold weather. It was her who made him listen to the story after all. "You cane in, but don''t stay too long." Lee Dojin nodded and jumped through the window. Entering, he felt warmer already. Ji-ah had a room for herself, as he noticed no other patient. The walls were painted a pot-yellow, which hurt one''s eyes after staring at it for too long. The old TV crackled, ying the news with oversaturated colors. The smell of disinfectant wafted in the air. Faintly, he heard footstepse and go. Baek Ji-ah sat on the bed, her arms on her thighs, while her bare feet kept wriggling around, hugging each other. "It''s quite cozy," Dojin remarked. "Don''t jest, you will make me angry," the teacher replied. "I''ve been through many hospitals in my life, but this ce has to be one of the worst." "Don''t keep your expectations too high," he said and thought about The First Advent. "Something tells me it will only get worse from now." Ji-ah smiled wryly. "If that''s true, I''d rather just stay home. But then again, the country does put a lot of taxes into healthcare. Unless something terrible happens, hospitals should only get better." "Well, I wouldn''t ce my stocks on it." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. "In fact, have you ever heard Hojin Machinery and Smithing? I hear that ce is doing rather well." He strolled around, observing and taking in everything. A half-eaten egg sandwichy on the table, surrounded by crumbs. Ji-ah didn''t want to eat it anymore. He thought about it, weighing his choices, then decided to take a bite. It was delicious. The woman watched Lee Dojin''s antics, with her eyebrows twitching. "I''ve never heard of that ce. It sounds kind of dubious, honestly," She said, and her words saddened Dojin. "Take a seat." "I thought you didn''t want me to stay that long?" "Yes, but I feel anxious if you keep staring at me like that." "Okay, don''t mind if I do then." He sat down on the chair, cing his bag next to him. The rain dripping down the roof made a soothing sound. "Anyway, you want to stop being a teacher? Why?" "I mean, isn''t that obvious?" She stretched her hands out as if telling him to look. "Maybe. It''s hard to say when I''ve never been in your shoes." He crossed his legs. "Want to tell me why? From my experience, it actually feels good letting it all out." He took another bite from the sandwich. Did he really want to listen? Ji-ah tilted her head and waited for Lee Dojin to change his mind, but he didn''t. Instead, he continued eating her food and hoping for her to talk. She rubbed her temples. That guy really went his own pace. "For one, I''d have to stop teaching sooner orter, when my illness catches up with me. It would be unfair for the students if they got used to me, only to then disappear." She mulled over her thoughts. Since her decision was quite recent, she didn''t have time to sort them yet. "Another one, I''ve been thinking these days, maybe I''m just not suited for the job. There''s a lot more thates to teaching than I initially thought. Socializing with your peers, being bossed around by your superiors, and getting nagged at by parents," she rambled on, then realized something. "Wait, why am I telling you all that? I sometimes forget that you are a student too." She held her head in regret. Lee Dojin stopped eating. He asked her, "Do your students like you?" "I do hope so," she said with conviction. He chuckled. "Then that is all that matters." He downed thest bite of the sandwich and stood up. "I mean, there''s still a lot more than that, you know?" Lee Dojin shook his head. "No, there isn''t. At least I don''t think there is." He thought about all the other kids he had taught throughout the years. He had his ups and downs with them tooand though he didn''t know what it meant to be a traditional educator at a school, he did understand what it meant to teach others. "In the end, no matter the struggles you go through, the fights you had or the setbacks you faced, if the student leaves remembering your lesson, then you have done your job. I believe that with my heart." "Yeah, that would be the dream." She leaned one hand against the yellow wall. "But in reality, the disgusting bureaucracy of the world will sooner orter get in your way. Not just for me as a teacher, but also for my brother, and one day, when you have a job, for you too." She brushed her hair aside and stared into the distance. "Reality is a joke. A disappointment." "That may be true. Still, you have to go on." Baek Ji-ah bit her lips. "How can you say that so lightly? What do you understand?" She turned a little angry, and her tone sharp. "I became my ideal teacher, I studied a lot, I worked hard, I followed everything I could. Yet, once again life hase to ruin me." It was aggravating. Excruciating even. That was maybe why she did something she promised herself to never do andshed out at a student. "See, you don''t get it." He shook his head. "Life doesn''t change that easily, and I''m sure you know that. Life is not something you conform to. Or else, like a pencil that''s continuously sharpened, you will eventually lose your shape." Ji-ah looked at her feet. She was lost. "Then... then, what should I do?" "It''s easy, really." He held his hands up. "Grasp it, take it, devour everything. Relinquish your fate. Yes, life is nothing but a meaningless hell. You wille to realize that even more in the future. So shape it however you want. Even if no one else will, stand by your beliefs." He paused. "Just like your brother did. You were the one who told me, all you remember were his smile, his hopes. Will you carry them on, or will youy them to rest forever?" A flicker of light appeared in her irises, though it vanished as quickly. "But how do I do it? I have nothing." Lee Dojin formed a fist. He gave her a rough smile, then pointed at her chest. " You do. You have conviction. If you can''t have faith in yourself, then I will do it for you. Keep your chin high, for you are Baek Ji-ah." The Mother of Ravens. "A teacher." Ji-ah''s eyes widened. She had her hand stuffed in herp and listened attentively. It was as if their roles had been inverted and she became the student. "...You aren''t as I expected you to be." She thought about the Lee Dojin in the stories. A young boy bullied and ostracized by his peers, yet still unruly and independentat least so he seemed in their past meetings. At the same time, Lee Dojin saw the Mother of Ravens. Her dead eyes, unruly hair, and the ck fog that always enveloped herat least so she seemed in their past meetings. "Back to you." She giggled. "You know, sometimes, I wished that the world would just stop moving. Only one day, so I can simply rx from my turbulent life." She let out a bitterugh, the wind swaying strands of hair in her face. "I suppose that may be fun. I used to dream of such times too." Lee Dojin leaned back, and his eyes followed her sight, as if able to see what she was dreaming about. "Well, not anymore." A silent tear slid down her face. She held her mouth. "Huh?" She shut her eyes, trying to hold back her sobs, but even when no one could see them, her cries betrayed her. "Uh, I''m sorry, I don''t know what has gotten into me," she tried saying, though they turned into muffled groans. She kept wiping her cheeks, hoping she could stuff those tears back in. Her voice echoed in the quiet hospital room, the dripping rain apanying her melody. Lee Dojin stood up and walked towards her. He held her head against his chest for what seemed a long time. She grabbed his shirt, leaving imprints of her tears on him. Chapter 32: Two Days Chapter 32: Two Days Lee Dojin walked home, his hair dripping due to the rain. The storm had diminished by now, but so had the day, and it had turned even chillier as he returned to his house. His mother, who had had just arrived from her job, saw her son sneezing while wiping away the water. "Oh my, where did you go?" She held her mouth and approached him. Her eyes were filled with worries (if he caught a cold), but curiosity was even stronger. He didn''t answer. Instead, he smiled wryly and replied, "I''ll tell you when I don''t feel like a popsicle." He took off his wet shirt and quickly jumped into the shower. His mother looked at the bathroom. "Kids these days are really mysterious," she said to herself. Lee Dojin had left his stuff outside, and when she took a nce inside his wet baginstead of the typical booksshe only found moist sand. She tilted her head. "Yep, really mysterious." Meanwhile, Lee Dojin let the warm water wash over him. He never felt thisfortable before. There wasn''t anything better than taking a long, steaming shower, while in the safety of windproof walls and a hard ceiling. When he thought back about how he lived in a cave by the time he died, this situation was akin to heaven. He slid his hair back. It was growing fast, and if he wished to, he could turn it into a small ponytail already. What he wanted though was hair long enough to cover his back, which would take a long time. His body, through the intense workout every day, developed rapidly. What used to be skin and bones, had turned into toned muscles, though as of yet, they were only faint, barely visible underneath a thin shirt. Still, it showed progress. Lee Dojin washed rinsed off the shampoo, then dried himself with a towel, while another one he loosely wrapped around his waist. His hair was still dripping, but this time, it had a pleasant smell to it. As he walked out, he saw his mother throw his shirt in the washing machine. The bag, she put in the hallway, letting it drip dry. She didn''t quiz him about school. One of her mottos in life was that a person was responsible for their own actions, after all. Whatever he did, she only hoped he wasn''t getting hurt. "Did you have anything to eat?" Lee Dojin shook his head. Well, in reality, he had eaten three times, snacks not included, but that didn''t mean he was full. "Not yet." His mother proudly puffed her chest out. "I see, let me make you some then," she said with a beaming smile and put on an apron. It was pink, with a heart in the middle. A design that felt out of ce with her cold facade. "It''s been a while since we''ve had homemade dinner after all." Lee Dojin''s eyebrows raised upward. "Are you sure?" A hint of worry appeared on his face. "What''s with your expression?" Lee Seunhee reciprocated the look. "Wait, you aren''t suspicious of my cooking skills, right?" He was unsure of how to answer. In fact, she had guessed right on the mark. It may havee as a surprise, but Xh''Endrada, the Concubine of All Things Parallel, was not known for her talents in cuisine. "Rather, do you know what a stove is?" He asked with genuine surprise. "Wow, now you are really making me mad," she pouted. "Fine then, if you don''t want to eat, I won''t force you, but don''te back crying when you are hungry." She cocked her head back, her hair flung with it. "I was only joking. It''s quite the contrary, I cannot wait to try." He waved his hands in a jesting manner. His mother smiled, satisfied by the answer. "Take a seat then, it won''t take long." "No, rather, the longer you take the better." ... It was an hour before nightfall, the sun had just started to recede. Ji-ah stared out her window in a daze. On her cheeks, there were faint red linesproof of her tears. Though now she didn''t feel sad anymore. No, it was more a feeling of relief that was quickly drowned in great embarrassment. She tucked her head into herp and screamed into it. "Damn it, I can''t believe I said all that!" She tussled her hair. "There must have been something seriously wrong with me!" Her voice remained muffled in her thighs, but she still heard herself loud and clear. Shouting made her feel a little better, but whenever the thought of her crying on a student''s chest resurfaced, she''d think about the most painful way to leave for the afterlife. A call interrupted her self-reflection. She saw the caller and promptly answered. "Yes, Baek Ji-ah here, how may I help you Seungsengnim?" She tried her best to answer with a business voice, as it was her supervisor that had called her. "I hope I''m not interrupting you," he spoke. In the background, she heard few kidsughing happily. Must have been his children. "You remember that excursion in a few days?" "Yes, the one one to that old museum in Hoegi." She nodded. Specifically, it was in two days, on a Saturday. She couldn''t have forgotten. It was her who had organized it with her students after all. Though she was unsure if she could make it. The problem was that she had never told the school about her illness, as she had been scared they might reject her over this. "What''s with it?" Baek Ji-ah heard the man tear a sheet of paper and crumpled it into a ball. A long sigh escaped his mouth, and Ji-ah felt the annoyance he felt. "Oh, I''m sorry. That was rude of me. I assure you it doesn''t have anything to do with you." Heughed dryly. "See, the problem''s with the director. You know that there''s been some.. . turmoil going around at the schooltely. He says until everything has died down, we are to only focus on things necessary for the lessons?" "What, but then what about the excursion?" She cried out. Naturally, she cared about her students, and if that made them safer, she could only oblige. However, she had nned on quitting her job as a teacher, but she also did not want to leave any problems. Ending her term prematurely would lead to manyplications for the new teacher, including the excursion, thus she wanted to finish it early. "Maybe in a month," he guessed, "I''m sorry for that. But hey, it shouldn''t take that long until things return to normalcy. Just hold out until then." "I see." Ji-ah''s shoulders slumped down. "Yes, in a month it is then." Though she wasn''t sure if she was still there by then. "Wait actually, there something that might help," her supervisor suddenly said. "You know that Dojin guy right? He hasn''t beening to schooltely and his grades have been slipping. His homeroom teacher used to let it slide, but he has gotten more and more audacious as time went on." He paused, but Ji-ah already dreaded his next words. "He seems attached to you. Maybe it is because you are both young. Why don''t you take him with you and have a good talk? I''m sure not even the director will have anything to say against that." A distant voice then shouted for his name. "Oops, I''ll have to hang up, my wife is nagging me. Let me know your answer tomorrow morning yes?" As he said so, a long beep appeared on the other side; The call had disconnected. Ji-ah ced her phone on the table. For a long time, she remained in a daze. She kneaded her temples and grumbled, "Why do these things keep happening to me?" She thought about the hassle of having to meet that student again, and her headache grew. Strangely enough, she wasn''t mad. Maybe because it distracted her from all the negative thoughts she currently bore. In the distance, right before the sun hid behind the horizon, a rainbow appearedthe aftermath of the rain. ... In a warehouse at night, a boy wearing all ck and with box-cut hair walked out. His name was Il Chunghoo. He nced both sides as if fearing someone followed him. Sweat dripped down his face as he thought back to the person he had met just a second ago. He breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he didn''t have to see these people often. "Those people from Sivi High are really on a different level." He shuddered. "Especially that one guy. What was his name again? Yawoon or something." Another boy walked up to him. His one arm was in a cast, while his face remained frightened. "You sure about all this?" He bit his lips. "There were also those strange men in ck looking for us the other day. It all seems a bit more than something mere high-school boy should get involved in." "Hyung, if you aren''t up for it, then maybe it''s best if you leave now." He then smirked. "But you don''t want to be a coward right?" The word seemed to trigger the boy in a cast. He gnashed his teeth. "Fine then, we''ll have it your way. I don''t care what it will cost. It''s in two days right?" "Yes correct, uh," he paused, "what was your name again?" "Dude we go to the same school," the boy replied in exasperation. "It''s Oh Sanbaek." Chapter 33: Mornings Chapter 33: Mornings For Kim Heeson, the mornings were always the roughest part of the day. He woke up with a chapped mouth and a dry throat that scratched at him for not drinking enough water yesterday. The bed he slept on was a double, though there had only been one pillow on it. He sat up, pulling at his ckout curtains, then winced at the light, even though it was practically still night. Within all the mornings, he hated the winter ones the most. The outside was cold, dirty, and mushy, with a gray tint painted all over the cityscape. At times, he even believed someone had done something horrible to Seoul: that a monster had gobbled the sun up, or some apocalyptic event sent them all into oblivion. Maybe that was his problems with morningshe was an avid dreamer. Though there weren''t many who weren''t. The smell of smoke wafted in the air. He had grown all too familiar with that smell. Still, he felt the annoyance well up within him. He swung himself out of bed and put his school uniform on. The cold metal ring of the belt touched his belly, and his face grimaced. Heeson took a walk to the bathroom to clean his teeth of the foul morning smell. He ced only a little paste on his brush, as disliked the chilly mint which would numb his tongue after too long of use. In the living room, the boy saw some burnt eggs atop ck toast. Next, there stood a ss of water. A woman with long unkempt hair and dark circles around her eyes ced a spoon on the table. She chewed on the butt of her lit cigarette while gesturing for him to take a seat. "You''re going to bete. Eat your food." She wore a sleeveless shirt that emphasized her tattooed arms and high-waisted jeans. A far cry from the officedy their mother had wished her to be. "Nah, I think I''ll pass." As he always did. The fact was, whenever he saw his older sister, Kim Jae-Eun, like that, he always lost his appetite. "Did you have any food yet?" "I''m going to eat with the boys", she said. "Is that so." He did notment anything more. It was always the same. He tried vaguely retracing his memories that would show how they had ended up this way, then remembered there was no point to it. As far as he knew, their rtionship had been this way for the past several years. The old innocuous sister who''d carry him around to explore the urban city was nowhere to be seen now. Kim Jae-Eun took the slice of bread. She asked once more if he wanted a bite. He answered once more with a no. "Fine then, don''t get angry at me when you starve in ss." Sheughed lightly; Kim Heeson did not follow suit. Instead, he took his bag and put it on his shoulder. "It''s fine. I''ll buy something if I turn hungry." She ced her free hand on her hip and gave him a re. "What, so you are hungry after all. You''re soplicated. " She ced past him the ck like they were trading cards. The egg almost fell down. "Here, pack it up, or I''ll eat it myself." "I''m not. But I might beter," he groaned, quickly losing patience. "It''s not that hard to understand." "I do understand, but I don''t think you do," she told him sharply. On the outside, she always seemed stony, but those people always held the greatest emotions. Kim Heeson knew. "You''ve got to be careful with your expenses. It''s not like we have a lot of it. As far as I see it, we should save money where we can. That doesn''t include you eating nothing of course, since you are still growing. But if we save here and there" "I don''t want that nasty food!" He outlined it for her as best as he could. The clock ticked further and at a timely pace. "Why are you shouting," Kim Jae-Eun asked calmly. She waited for him to calm down. "You don''t need to shout." "Well, what do you want me to say. You don''t listen to me otherwise." He took the water and drank it all in one big gulp. Kim Jae-Eun tilted her head. In the end, she threw the food away. "That''s because I want the best for you. Even if you may not believe so." He clicked his tongue. "It''s not like you''re my mother," Kim Heeson barked back at her, though that came immediately with a sense of regret, which left out his mouth as a soft, "Sorry." "Apology epted." She said simply and looked at the clock. She tucked her hair behind her ear, though it quickly loosened back to its original position. "See,te again." The Kim family was a household of three. Though most of the days, it barely felt like two, and even if they all got together, Heeson still felt alone. The father had left three years after his birth, leaving behind only burden and childhood trauma. That bastard must havee from a family of good money, to have erased his trace so thoroughly. His mother told him that when she birthed Kim Jae-Eun, that man had only been 21. At the time of that story, it still felt so far awaybut now he realized he was only 2 years away from that. Kim Heeson never remembered his father, but he did feel the absence of him. The way he saw it, that good-for-nothing was better off gone, but naturally, he still understood the financial and social burden it ced on this family. Although he settled with this idea on his own terms. His mother had it especially hard. She woke up before him and slept after him. He rarely got to face her, and when he did, she''d always had that listless look around her. He had long forgotten the taste of her homemade cooking, reced with premade convenience store food or his sister''s charcoal. It was an illusory feeling, as whenever he tried recalling his memory, he saw those traditional Korean dishes, yet the taste and aroma would escape him as if robbed away by some nasty Dokkaebi. Kim Heeson shook his head, ridding himself of these unnecessary thoughts. Putting on his long winter coat, he left for school. In the beginning, he did not know he was poor. It was his sister that helped him realize thateven though she meant well. She always said she''d not turn into their mother, working 24/7 and leaving no time for the family. She wanted to be a rockstar, and yes, she did have the talent for it. A gifted child that could y the guitar before others knew how to read. But so could many others. Kim Heeson could turn on the TV, and he''d hear countless OSTs, BGMs, and randomptions of people that never made it big, yet still were exceptional. A ck crow dug through the trash, finding a dead rat and sweeping it away. The cold air enveloped him, and he tucked his neck into his coat. He thought maybe he should have brought a scarf. But he could not find it in his heart to return and face his sister again. Her band, she had yed with for more than a decade now. Some had gone off, their dreams washed away by the overflowing society that deemed them wasteful, and others, like his sister, continued to pursue what he saw as fruitless. She would soon be turned thirty, still jumping from job to job never building a career. The next gig will be it, she always said. He knew, even at such young age, at one point, her decisions of the past would catch up to her future. "At this point, I wish she had turned out like mom." He sighed though, for he remembered that he was no better off. No, maybe he had been even worse, for God was not merciful enough to give him any hopeless dreams he could lose himself in. No talents worth pursuing, and no life worth living. Maybe that''s the reason he was always angry in school. He reflected. But what was he to do? He hated the mornings. They were times of nning, responsibility, and self-love. The sun seemed to uncover everything, shining upon all his ws, leaving him exposed. The night was no such thing. No one questioned you at night. The tiredness of the morning would be flushed by the excitement that night brought. He came close to reaching the school. Lately, he had stopped hanging out with the usual delinquent bunch. They were good people, he did believe that, but for some reason, the joy he foundzing around with them had lost its glimmer. "Shit, Heeson, what''s with the gloomy face?" He heard someone shout behind him, but he wasn''t startled, as he had gotten used to that person''s voice. Lee Dojin hooked his hand around Heesons neck. Next to him was Kim Jeyjin, who walked while giving him the side-eye. "Didn''t ya'' eat well? Yeah I get it. Let''s go get something at the cafeteria at lunch break. Can you hold out until then?" Kim Heeson smiled his expression brightening again. "Sure, why not? But I can''t treat you this time." The three of them entered the school ground. He closed his eyes and cooled his head. Lately, even the hateful mornings had gotten a tad more bearable. Though he did not quite understand why. Chapter 34: Keeps Forgetting Chapter 34: Keeps Forgetting "Yes of course I know Chunghoo," Kim Heeson said. He took a bite of the kimbap. The lunch break had been one of the favorite times of the school, no, maybe the whole day. It felt as if he could truly be himself in that short hour. Lee Dojin''s eyes widened slightly. "Is he a household name or what?" "It''s not like that." He ced his food on the table. It had some cheap stic wrapped around it, so he did not worry about the germs. "We used to hang around the same circle, though he''s a year under us. Well, in essence, he''s another useless bum. Seems like we get these a lottely." The boyughed. "Maybe there''s something in this school that creates great delinquents." "Talk for yourself," Kim Jyejinmented. "The majority here are well behaved. It is still a prestigious school after all." "Prestigious school, huh? Just some moniker for a collection of rich kids and failed talents." He thought about how the fees alone had turned his mother into a hunchback from all the overtime. A wry smile escaped him, though no one caught it. "Well, putting that aside, I know him quite well. That dude''s ssroom is right below ours." "Are you guys friends or something," Lee Dojin asked. "Hell no: Rather, I doubt he has any at all." He quickly shook his head, clearly not wishing to be associated with him. "And unlike the people I hang around with, he is a genuine second-generation rich brat. I only remember him because of his weird quirk." "Ah, I know what you are talking about," Kim Jyejin chimed in. She leaned forward as if fearing no one would notice her presence otherwise. "That''s why I remembered him too." At the same time, she chewed on the stick of a lollipop she had finished a few minutes ago. Their unconventional reactions managed to catch Lee Dojin''s attention. He brushed his hair out of his face. "Well guys, don''t leave me hanging." "There''s not much to it," Kim Heeson said. He took another bite of his kimbap. "Dude''s got brain damage, I swear by it." "That''s not it at all," Jyejin quickly rebutted and hit the back of his head. "You''re really irritating, you know that?" She harrumphed. "Moving on, that Il Chunghoo. Apparently, he has a bad memory. The first day, he arrived at the wrong school, which is why he started school 2 weekster." "That bastard once asked me what my name was. We''ve been hanging out for three hours already. And he also took my cigarette." Kim Heeson scoffed. "He''s got the attention span of a mayfly. That might be why he''s always so aggressive. I''d be a pain in the ass too if I kept forgetting stuff." "Not like you aren''t one already," Jyejin gave an off-handed remark. "Oh, there was also a time where he asked a friend of mine to go on a date with him, not realizing he had done so two times already. He''s notoriously bad at remembering faces and all that." Sheughed. "I mean, it''s sad, but I can''t help feeling howically funny this is. That''s why ironically, I remember him." She thought back to the words of that couple she met the other night at the restaurant. A hint of worry shed in her eyes. "You''re asking because you are thinking of meeting him, right?" "Yes. Personally, I don''t really care what kind of shady underground business some random high-schoolers are into, or whether that Il Chunghoo one day forgets whether he is male or female." Underneath the table, he gripped his hands. The thought of his former friend, who''dter on be a persistent enemy of mankind, Do Jiwoon, sprung to his mind. "However, there''s a guy with whom I have some personal grievances. It would be nice to settle them early." Kim Jyejin watched him. Those words didn''t sound like something Lee Dojin would say. At least not the one she had known until now. She wondered, that person he wished to meet, were they the reason for his change? A great rational part of her wanted him to stop. It sounded dangerous. Yet, at the same time, there was a splinter, small but lodged deep in her heart, which said to let him go. She wanted to find out because she knew it would be interesting. That part of hers, she hated most, the need to alleviate her neverending boredom. While Jeyjin remained gued with her inner thoughts, Heeson did not understand the situation. "What did I miss? Why do you want to meet that guy?" A sudden realization dawned upon him as he thought about Lee Dojin''s behavior the past few days. He pulled him closer and whispered with a serious voice, "You know, if you murder someone today, you won''t see the light until maybe 15 or 20 years. If you are lucky." "Thank you for your concern, but I''m just going to talk." Though Lee Dojin was pretty sure he could get away with killing someone. Maybe not today, but definitely tomorrow, when it was already the penultimate day of a normal world. "But I''m not going to lie. It''s some shady business." Kim Heeson squinted his eyes, trying to ascertain whether Lee Dojin had been serious. "Damn, how''d a bookworm like you get caught in all that mess? You better tell me next time we go to a PC Bang." He breathed out. "Well, if it''s urgent, let''s just wait until sses are over." "Hmm." Lee Dojin thought about it. If he had to wait for long, he might miss the ideal timing to fight the shadows. His mind churned as he rubbed his chin. Strictly speaking, he was ahead of his schedule. And this opportunity was a lot harder toe by after The First Advent. "Sure, let''s do it." ... "There he is," Kim Heeson pointed at a boy with a buzzcut. Even from afar, they could tell he had an irritated face, with the other students walking a big curve around him. Kim Jyejin cusped her hand over her eyes. "He certainly has a presence." "Let''s go talk to him." Lee Dojin stopped leaning on the wall and approached the boy. "Hey you, Il Chunghoo, right?" "Who is asking?" The grumpy boy replied. He had his eyebrows down low, a slunched back, and his hands in his jeans. "I don''t know you, do I?" The beep of a car horn resounded through the street. Kim Jyejin and Heeson trailed right behind Dojin. The two of them looked both ways before crossing the road. Their school was right in front of an intersection. Though it wasn''t heavily trafficked, they still had to watch for any iing cars. "No, you don''t, but aren''t you open to learning?" Il Chunghoo clicked his tongue. "If you ain''t got nothing to do with me then stop bothering me, then piss off," he said and shoved Lee Dojin''s shoulder. "You''re in my way." "Rx, I didn''te to fight." He didn''t budge and instead grabbed Il Chunghoos'' hand. "No need for the hostility, we are next to traffic. I only have something to ask you, wouldn''t you help me out?" "Why do I need to help a stranger," he asked in a hostile tone. He tried retracting his hand, but then realized he couldn''t. His eyes widened as he realized he was stuck. How did someone this scrawny boy have so much power in them? "I''m Lee Dojin. You''re Il Chunghoo. We go to the same school." He smiled innocently. "Now we aren''t strangers anymore. Will you answer some questions? It''s rather importantas in, the fate of the world importantso why don''t you cooperate?" "Fuck, are you a policeman or something?" Il Chunghoo grew increasingly agitated. He didn''t quite understand what these people wanted, and he wasn''t too keen to find out. However, he couldn''t escape Lee Dojin''s grip (looking like an animal caught in a bear trap). He began pushing at him, his head lowered and using his shoulders as if a lineman in a football game. "Get the fuck off me." "Hey, this starting to look a little suspect," Kim Jyejinmented. A car passed them, its tailwind flinging her hair in the air. "This won''t turn into anything big right?" Lee Dojin let his arm go, and Il Chunghoo stumbled forward. His pale face now red over his cheeks. "You piece of shit, fine, let''s settle this right now." At the same time, Baek Ji-ah, who had finished her work for the day and was about to go home, saw Lee Dojin and the group in the distance. She remembered the task her supervisor gave her for the excursion and thought this may be a good chance. Unsure of the happenings, she walked over with a smile. "Ji-ah," Kim Jyejin said, fearing that they had gotten into trouble. "That''s Seungsengnim for you, miss," she said jokingly. "Dojin, it''s good that you are here. Do you perchance have time tomorrow?" Jyejin held her mouth and her eyes widened slightly. A grin crept up her face. "Oho, what''S this? What''s this?" Was she boldly announcing her rendezvous? Baek Ji-ah tilted her head in confusion. She did not understand what Jyejin was getting at. Yet, she exined anyway. "It''s only an excursion. We are going to a museum. It''s only because I''m their homeroom teacher that I get to go, otherwise, a math teacher would never be able to leave the grounds, so I''m a little excited," she said with unexpected fervor. "Sure, if it''s not around 12 or 13." Il Chunghoo cracked his neck. "You bastard, why are you suddenly ignoring me?" "Hey, Chunghoo, watch your words," Ji-ah chastised him. "That reminds me, were where you during your morning lessons?" "I forgot them. Now buzz off." He grabbed Lee Dojin''s cor and pulled it upward. He heard it rip. "You want to know more about me? Let''s go then, I won''t make ya ever forget me." Lee Dojin lifted his arm, and he saw his sleeve torn. "Damn, I hope that wasn''t expensive." He sighed. It was a good shirt. "Anyway, that''s fine by me, if it makes you listen. Do you know a guy named Do Jiwoon?" Instantly, Chunghoos eyes widened greatly. "You, how do you know that name?" Baek Ji-ah was stumped by this sudden turn. "Hey you guys, what are you doing in front of the school," she shouted and pulled Il Chunghoos''s arm away. "The audacity!" "I told you to piss off!" He red at Ji-ah and pushed her. It wasn''t a great push but coupled with her weak constitution, it was enough to make her stumble, though he could not have known that. But reality did not wait for misunderstandings. She fell back, her left leg caught underneath a branch, and she stumbled into the open road. The next few seconds went incredibly slow for everyoneincluding the car approaching. The car beeped, but that wouldn''t mean Ji-ah would disappear. "Again?" Lee Dojin let out an exasperated voice, but he made broke out the boy''s grip and ran as fast as she could and locked his arms around Ji-ah. But she did not feel relieved. Instead, her eyes remained on the increasingly close headlights. And then, a loud shriek echoed through the intersection. Chapter 35: Nothing Chapter 35: Nothing It all happened incredibly fast. The car approached, with no sign of stopping. It had great intention to do so, with the tires swerving left and right, but it failed to slow down. The onlookers watched in horror as they were certain something terrible would go down. Jyejin ran forward, but Heeson quickly pulled her back. She would never make it in time. Lee Dojin realized, he could not jump away. Maybe if he was alone, but not with Ji-ah in his arms. He gritted his teeth and whispered into her ear, "Close your eyes for a bit," and held obscured her sight with his hands. Lee Dojin thought about his Skill again. The system message appeared before him. [Skill: Cosmic Steps. Tier B, Level 12. Just like humans, the world itself was filled with blind spots. Beyond the 3D, therey another dimension. Upon activation of the skill, the user will see bright points all over the world. Every point is a node connected with another; This movement technique briefly allows the user to hover between two dimensions and traverse through the nodes. By utilizing what the universe missed, the user has be the only being to see beyond dimensions.] A smile escaped him. He swiped his hair out of his face. "I can''t help feeling lucky with this kind of affinity." The wind grew stronger, as the car was just about to run the two of them over. [Level 10 Evolution: Once a day, the user cantch onto other living entities and likewise guide them through the stars.] "But I never had a chance to test it," he said, and now the car had been close enough for him to see the dent in its license te. He activated his skill, with Ji-ah in his arms, and arrived at the star just a meter next to them. The car barely passed without turning the street into a blood-red painting. It drifted, almost hitting the curve, until finally catching its path again, and returning to normalcy. The car quickly winded down the road, but not without the middle-aged driver sticking his head out and cursing profanities. Kim Jyejin quickly ran towards them. Before Lee Dojin could say anything, she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "You Idiot! How can you be this reckless? I almost lost you," she shouted into his ear. There was anger in her voice, but just as much worry too. Ji-ah remained in a state of shock, her face white while her jaw stayed ck. Even with her illness, she had never been this close to death before. A few other students walked forward, having witnessed what just happened. They consoled them, asking if the two of them were alright or if they needed an ambnce, while at the same time congratting them on the miracle by barely avoiding the car. It seemed like no one knew the truth of how Lee Dojin escaped. "You piece of shit," Kim Heeson shouted at Il Chunghoo who had been in a daze. It was then that he punched him in the face. A t, almost dull sound rang out. Il Chunghoos head rocked back, and he stopped his daze and looked at Kim Heeson in disbelief. Heeson, on the other hand, had the face of wrath flushed over him. Il Chunghoo wiped his lip. He looked at his hand and saw the dark shade of blood on his otherwise white shirt. His eyes turned dark and frosty as if bing a soulless doll. "You dare hit me?" He spat on the groundit was red. "You bastard," he said with a low-pitched sound that came from his gut, "You want to die?" "What''s with that face?" Heeson said andughed. "You almost killed someone, and that''s all you have to say? Are you crazy?" He kicked forward, at Il Chunghoo''s face. The boy tilted his head and dodged Kim Heesons leg. "Motherfu" he was about to scream out, but another fist came flying his face. He caught him by the wrist. "I''m not looking for a fight, right now. I''ve got better things to do." Kim Heeson pulled his hand back and retreated. "How can you say that after what you''ve done?" He grew angry, thinking about how he had pushed Ji-ah. Truthfully, the anger did not only spring from his friend being in danger. No, he also saw himself in Il Chunghoo. That reckless behavior and careless attitude. Yes, if it was only a week ago, he imagined he''d not look too different than Il Chunghoo. But it was Kim Heeson, now. Kim Heeson. "Alright, alright, I apologize. Stop making a scene," Il Chunghoo dismissed him, and though he said he had been sorry, it sounded more like he could not care any less. "You''re beyond help." Kim Heeson cracked his knuckles, attacked him again. but this time, his fist did notnd. Instead, Il Chunghoo deflected it to his side, catching Heeson off-bnce and making him stumble. He quickly swung his head around but was met with Il Chunghoos''s own fist, squarely hitting his head. He felt his brain jitter, and he fell to the ground, genuflecting and scraping his left knee. Il Chunghoo stood in front of him, crumpling his arm sleeves up. He stepped on Kim Heesons chest and sighed. "Is that it?" "Fuck off," he shouted and lifted his arm, though Il Chunghoo quickly kicked his hand away, which then started swelling. The boy with a buzzcut squatted down. He looked at Kim Heeson. "Why are you acting so high and mighty." He grabbed Kim Heesons hair. "When you are this weak?" Kim Heeson felt a vein pop on his forehead. The blood rising up painted his face red. Anger and shame clouded his mind. ''You are weak''. There were no words he abhorred more than that, yet he could not disagree. "Stop it," Kim Jyejin shouted from afar. The two fighting boys realized they weren''t alone and both snapped their heads toward Ji-ah. Il Chunghoo clicked his tongue and stood up. He patted his jeans and went away, but not without leaving a, "You got lucky, bastard." He waved his hand, he took a quick nce at Lee Dojin; A cocky smile, as if invincible, appeared on his face. "Oh, and yeah, I just remembered. Yes, I know a Do Jiwoon. What are you going to do about it?" Lee Dojin did notment. Rather, he turned his attention back to Ji-ah and helped her up. She came to her feet, wobbling, but managing. Her expression though seemed disconnected, or maybe in shock. Kim Jyejin asked worriedly. "Are you alright, Seungsengnim?" Ji-ah shook her head. She let out a wry smile. "It''s fine, just a little stumped." "That guy is unbelievable," Kim Jyejin said, angry and frustrated. "We should report this to the police. I''ll ask my dad too. I''m sure he can do something about this." She clenched her fist. "Dojin, what do you think?" "No, really, it''s fine," Ji-ah intervened. "I will be fine." "Are you sure," Kim Heeson asked from the side. He had a bruise on his cheek, but nothing too serious. The only thing wounded was his pride. "Guys like that, they won''t ever learn if you don''t go to the extremes with them. Trust me, I speak from experience." The teacherughed lightly. It had a sad tone to it. "I know that." She looked at Lee Dojin and asked if he was fine. "Still, stuff like that, you''ll have to learn and let it go. Making a scene won''t lead us anywhere." "But Seungsengnim," Kim Jyejin yelled out. "That''s not how it should go? Where''s the justice in that? You almost died!" She could not understand why Ji-ah would carry such a defeatist stance. She had always been a stubborn girl, which came to be obvious whenever she protected Lee Dojin, but she hated when things would not go her way. Thus, she could not help ask, "Are you really going to let people walk all over you?" "Yes." Her reply came instantly. "Jyejin, I don''t know much about you, but I can tell. You haven''t seen the ugly side of this world. Even someone like you, who has more than others, will one day have to face the barriers thate with life. And me? I have nothing. All my life is just barriers. You''ll have to learn to brush stuff like this aside." Kim Heeson felt his heart sting. Her words resonated deeply within him. He put his hands on Jyejin shoulder. "If she says to let it go, just let it go." "What''s wrong with you? Aren''t you frustrated?" She shot at him. His grip tightened. "I am. I am aggravated." He grit his teeth. "But there''s nothing we could do." For now, that washe said in his mind. At the same time, he nced at Lee Dojin who had yet to say anything. "Actually, that is not true," Lee Dojin muttered. Ji-ah tilted her head. "What do you mean?" "You do have something. Conviction. At least for now." "Oh shut up," Ji-ah said and snapped. She couldn''t believe her own words, but they still flowed out, like a dam broken at its hinges. "Conviction. Conviction. That''s goddamn pointless if you have nowhere to put it into!" Lee Dojin walked to the intersection and picked up his bag. "Then I''ll give it to you, a ce to focus your conviction." He brushed the stones away. "A ce for your anger, frustration, and depressions." He smiled at Ji-ah, and his words at the hospital shed into her mind. "I promised after all." Lee Dojin had seen enough. Hepletely understood. The Ji-ah now was not the one in the future. But she was bound to be, if things continued that way. The Mother of Ravens was a curse only he could breakand he knew how. He''d show her the world within the Mirage. Chapter 36: Nothing II Chapter 36: Nothing II The sun had left its Zenith but still bore many shadows. Baek Ji-ah followed Lee Dojin, while out of breath and gasping. As he wished, Jyejin and Heeson did not follow. Although they were incredibly curious about what he had nned. On the way, Lee Dojin had engaged with some small-talk. "Have you ever yed any games?" He wished to prep her as much as possible, without the teacher thinking that he had gone crazy. He clenched his fist, and felt sweat on his palm? Why? Nervous.. . or maybe he was excited, for what the Mother of Ravens, no, Ji-ah''s future looked like. "Games, what games? Like tag?" "No, more like the electronic kind. Like LoL or WoW." He kicked a branch out the way. A couple jogging passed them by, waving. "I personally haven''t but what you are about to witness is the same as that, I heard." "I''m not quite sure at what you are getting at," Ji-ah said. "But I''ve yed some back in the day. I only yed them casually though. We aren''t going to a PC Bang or something, right?" "We can do that after if you wish to. But right now, we have some business to finish." They stopped at an abandoned yground, which had be overgrown with dust and shrubbery. Large trees surrounded them, creating a sort of wall, with the light shining in at the middle. "So, what I''m about to say is of utmost importance." He stored his bag away and ced his hands on Ji-ah''s shoulders. She had never seen him so serious. "Survive." She tilted her head, confused. "Survive? From what?" Her eyes then widened, as if understanding. "Well, if you mean my illness, it''s not something I can wish away with willpower." She wondered. Was that the reason for this guy to call her here? That woulde as rather underwhelming. Lee Dojin shook his head. "Say, are you a woman of faith?" "What''s with all these random questions?" She grew more confused by the minute. However, she still wanted to believe in Lee Dojin. Even though she herself knew it was hopeless, she, for some odd reason, thought he''d be able to make it possible. That may be why she answered honestly. "No. I''m not. I''ve long rescinded my trust in a higher power." In the beginning, she did hold hope to a guardian angel or something, but over the years, as she slowly realized she would not be saved, she hade to give up on anything supernaturalthough she never said that out loud. "I see." He nodded. "Not that it would be bad if you were, but what you will witness soon will be something hard for you toprehend, and it would turn out to be quite the hassle if you misunderstood it as a miracle or something." He paused; Now serious. "Let me make this clear. What you are about to witness is neither divine providence nor a miracle. Rather, I''d call it heretical witchcrafta power from Hell even. But it doesn''t matter since you don''t believe in that." "Say, I really don''t get anything you''re bbering. Did you hit your head on the way here?" Baek Ji-ah did not understand. Except for enjoying the idyllic scenery, she saw no other reason to be here. "Fine, I''ll show it to you." He nodded, then activated Cosmic steps. Soon after, countless stars, only for him to see, appeared around him, painting everything with bright light. At a quiet yground, with the aroma of nature and a breeze lifting her hair, there were only the two of them. And thus came, what Ji-ah would refer to as the greatest turning point of her life. Greater than her brother''s death, greater than finding out her illness, maybe even greater than her birth. An old memory resurfaced from her mind. One she had forgotten so much, she had even forgotten to remember it. A dove passed her head. She might have been three or four. A time where she still believed in fairies and ghosts. She had been at her dad''s workshop, a ce with heavy machinery and sharp pointy knives. She was never allowed in, but somehow she still did. It smelled of damp wood, intermingling with an earthy scent. She felt like little Alice in Wondend, who had entered a hobbit-hole, and came to discover many foreign and new things. Strange gadgets and glimmering stones. But just like Alice learned, so did she too, that not everything shiny was gold, and while ying around, she toppled a shelf, that had gone straight for her. Little Alice, Big Trouble. She braced for impact, hiding her head behind her two hands, but it never came. Instead, she saw a white light, which sheter attributed to an Angel, sh before her and pulling her out of reach. Sadly, her parents did not believe the story, and instead of amazement, she got a good whopping. But moving back to the present time. In the present time, she had been a bit overwhelmed with Lee Dojin''s behavior, but the sight of him vanishing from one ce and reappearing in another, caught her gobsmacked. He effortlessly phased from space to space, while Ji-ah could only barely follow him with her eyes, which had widened so far, they may just pop out. She thought about her buried memory. At that time, the Angel must have looked like Lee Dojin currently did. He stopped in front of her. She held her hands to her chest, her heart beating wildly as she held her breath. He didn''t sweat or was out of breath. Whatever magic he did, it appeared effortlessly to him. "And that," he said, "is the new world." Baek Ji-ah did not react. She couldn''t. What was she supposed to say? The words failed her. Her mouth remained frozen for a long time. "Uh, I see." She then turned red at her stupid reply. "Pfft," Lee Dojin let out a shallowugh. "You''re funny." He turned around. "Well, it''s understandable, really. Stuff like this can be hard toprehend. Really. So take your time. But you are smart, so I know you can do it. Preferably before sunset." He sat on the ground. "This power, you''ll have to get used to it, for soon, it eill also be yours." "Mine?" Ji-ah gasped. Such an otherwordly power.. . hers? As a woman that had nothing? She nodded her head. That seemed like the right reaction. "What have I just witnessed. And, uh, I won''t die or something, right?" "Why would I show you this only to kill you," Lee Dojin asked jokingly. "Otherwise, a good question though. How should I start?" "Uhm," Ji-ah racked her brain. An answer formed in her head. "Is this some ult stuff? magic? No, most importantly, what will happen to our world?" She thought about it. Whether the powers existed since ancient times or had been created just now, she could not imagine any other oue except mayhem. As a physics and math teacher, she prided herself on her logical outlook towards the world. This, without question, went against anything that science stood for. "Well, just something minor we can do nothing about, let''s move past that, and concentrate on what you do can do." He quickly shrugged her worries aside. "The most important thing was how you would find yourself surviving. The world will manage even without us." "You''re making it sound like there''s an apocalypse before us." Sheughed, but Lee Dojin did notugh with her. "Wait, there isn''t right?" "Moving on." Lee Dojin turned around. "If you were a woman of faith, I''d have used the Free Will use to exin this to you, but it seems like I have to do it the old-fashioned way." He stared into the distance, mulling over his words. "I like this spot because the sky looks so vast from here. When I was small, I always dreamed of being a bird, just so I could be in the clouds like them. That was to me, the definition of freedom. But as I got older, I learned about the stars, the differents, and in the end, the whole gxy." He stretched his hand out, longing to escape. "At first, I was excited, knowing there was a world out there for me to explore, but with time, I just thought to myself, what was the point? The universe was so ginormous, soplex, no matter what I did, it would not remember me. What constituted for me as a lifetime, would be less than a blink for our gxy." Ji-ah did not understand where he was going with this, but she continued to listen, enthralled by his words. "The Mirage, the system that grants you this skill, it makes you forget that for a moment. It makes you feel special, unique even, as if you could finally make a difference. But just as the name says, it is simply an illusion." Lee Dojin shook his head with a wry smile, his hand slowly falling. "In the end, we only have ourselves. Nothing will have changed. In this absurd world with no purpose, the only thing we can do is to rebel. I''ve shown you a path, but it is up to you on whether to take it." He paused. "Will you?" Ji-ah swallowed her breath; Great determination in her eyes. "I will." He smiled. "Then say it with me," he stretched his arms out, weing the world. A slight breeze washed over him, uplifting his hair and clothes. The leaves rustled in the distance. "Mirage, show me your world." Chapter 37: Individuality Chapter 37: Individuality "Holy shit! Dojin, Dojin!" Ji-ah screamed out, as her sight fell on the floating window in front of her. "There are some words floating in the air! What is that? Holograms? What do I do; what do I do?" Her sight moved between Dojin and the screen. "Rx," he said and ced his arms on her shoulders. "This is just like we talked about. You remember, right? Games." "I, I see." Ji-ah nodded her head, though Dojin''s words did not register. "So something like a Status Window." It all simply felt so incredulous. So out of nowhere. Her brain did not let her ept the facts, even though theyy right before her. Still, she kept on, her heartbeat elerating. "Exactly." Lee Dojin continued. "Take a deep breath, and try to rx. If you are done, try reading the instructions. And keep this in mind. Whatever notions you have learned throughout the years, discard them." His tone became serious. "Throw them away, for that will be the only way to survive." Ji-ah listened attentively to Dojin, yet she could not help feel something amiss. "How do you know all this?" Her voice shook. "Who are you exactly?" "We can talk about this after everything is over. And I do mean everything. Hopefully, by then, we still have ways of bequeathing a messageif you still wish to know at that time, I''ll tell you my story. But for now, concentrate on the things in front." He rolled up his sleeves, as he knew what was toe. The yground turned silent, seemingly expecting it too. "Right." She knew better than anyone else that some things are meant to be secrets thus did not pry, and it was unbing of a teacher to get too personal with a student''s private affairs. "In the end, no matter what, you are still Lee Dojin." She only hoped, when the time came where things had be too tough, he''d be able to rely on her too. Baek Ji-ah started reading the introduction of The Mirage. However, she soon had to stop, because she could notprehend everything. "Soon, the world you have known to be true will be no more.. ." She repeated the words. "You''ve been saying the same thing. What exactly does that mean?" Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. "We should move past that. It would be too hard to exin everything at once." "No can do," she replied. "I mean, you took me here without any warning, showed me some supernatural abilities, and then asked me to join you. The least you could do is tell me what I signed up for, right?" "Are you sure?" "Am I sure?" She humphed, "What do you mean, am I sure? Do I look so weak that I couldn''t handle something that my student could?" The woman put both her hands on her hips. "So you better tell me, or I''m gonna force it out of you." "It would seem that this new development has recharged your vigor." Lee Dojinughed. "It does suit you a lot more to be energetic." "Stop teasing your teacher." Her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment. "Moving on, moving on. Tell me what I should expect. Should I stock up on toilet paper?" "No, but I rmend getting life insurance," he joked. "Well, have you ever read any web novels? You did? That''s perfect. Well, what will happen soon is like those apocalyptic survival stories, where random game-like elements surface on Earth, threatening to wipe it out." He thought about his next words. "You know, like Dungeons suddenly appearing, Humans gaining superpowers, and of course RPG-like monsters and races surfacing." There was a short pause between them. Ji-ah guffawed, waiting for Lee Dojin tough, but he never did. "Are you joking? Are you making fun of me?" "Do I look like the type to do something like that?" Lee Dojin flicked her forehead. "Continue reading." "I don''t think I want to," she muttered, but when she saw his re, she had no choice continuing. "Fine." She continued all the way, until the end. "Prove your worth, or be crushed by it. What does that mean?" A breeze passed by them, rustling Lee Dojin''s hair. Hebed it back with his fingers. "Well, to exin, you have just gotten a privilege that people in the future would kill for. Not even winning the lottery is as attractive. You have entered the new world before it began, like some kind of beta tester." He smiled. "And right now, you will have to prove yourself." "Right now?" "Do you not want to?" Ji-ah turned quiet. She mulled over her life and everything that led up to this. A flicker of determination shed before her, and she felt so close to grabbing it. Just another step. Would this be it? She swallowed. "No, let us start." Lee Dojin gave a tiny nod of approval. Truthfully speaking, he was excited to see where this Mother of Ravens would end up in this future. "Then, there''s another chant to start the Hidden Quest. Say it with me." He told her the incantation. "Are you serious? That''s the one?" Her eyes opened wide. "It''s like some kind of sick joke." A burst of wryughter escaped her. Still, she said it as she was supposed to, and as certain as the sun rising from the east, the dormant shadows awoke. Ji-ah shouted in shock, but her voice was overshadowed by the oozing pressure of those monsters. Lee Dojin clenched his teeth. There had been a reason why he could not bring other people into this hidden quest. The shadow below him rose. He clicked his tongue. "Wee back, bastard." He punched down, but the shadow slithered away, and he only hit the dirt. The shadow reappeared few meters away, forming into another him. It grinned. Surrounding it, there were many other such monsters. He couldn''t, because he knew, the people he brought would die. The chance of survival was around 1/4 if he remembered correctly. There was no way for a normal human with nobat experience toe on top. And he did not wish to risk the lives of innocents and nip their potential by the bud, just because he may have had a chance to grow stronger. It was fine as he knew he was strong, even if alone. If necessary, he''d dominate above everyone else, and bear the burden of humanity himselffor that was the responsibility of the strong. Ji-ah panicked, she asked him. "What should I do?" "Take a look at the new windows popping up." He tried holding the shadows back. "There are Affinities you need to choose. Just take whatever you want." He also added, "And do it fast, they don''t stay forever!" But Baek Ji-ah was different. She was not just an ordinary citizen. That woman would be one of the strongest lifeforms in the futureat least in his future. Thus, he trusted her as a former enemy to survive. "Dojin, something is happening underneath me," she shouted and stepped back. Naturally, a shadow of her had been created. It hissed fiendishly and swung its w, grazing her chest and leaving a bloody mark. "Ji-ah," he shouted and activated Cosmic Steps. Another problem had been the interaction with those shadows. This Hidden Quest was all about individuality. Ordinary people, not part of The Mirage, could not associate with the shadows and vice-versa. They''d pass each other, as if from other dimensions. yers, who had activated the Quest, of course, could destroy those shadows, but had to watch out not to die themselves. Lee Dojin tried grabbing her shadow, but it simply slipped away, out his reach. It felt like he had touched nothing. At the same time, the shadow swung around, enraged, and stabbed Lee Dojin''s shoulder. He barely avoided it, but a red wound still appeared. Now, for yers not part of the quest, they could not interact with the shadows, but the shadows could still kill them. Such unfairness was just like the system. In other words, yers were all on their own. Splendid individuality. "Also, based on my ns, it would not be good to have that many yers in Korea, especially if they are on my side," he muttered and stopped the bleeding. "There are two," she said, sweating from dodging the shadows, but also concentrating. Even though she was an active girl, her worsening lungs made it impossible for her stamina to hold on. "Lake of Tranquility and Mother of Ravens." Lee Dojin nodded. He knew both of them. One, of course, being Decay, and the other being Emptiness, an A-ss Affinity. Personally, he thought Emptiness was good, but the past Ji-ah chose differently, and in the end, it waspatibility that mattered the most. "You have to hurry, as they will disappear after a while. In this situation, being without Affinity is tantamount to suicide," he emphasized. Out of the blue, he felt his back turn cold, and as he turned around, there had already been his own shadow, grinning mischievously. "Shi" he shouted, as the thing shed his back, tearing open his shirt. "Dojin," Ji-ah screamed in worry, but he only told her to focus. She had to because unless she won, these creatures would continue attacking. She bit her lips and read through the descriptions. She didn''t know much, but she did understand that this decision would be the most important of her life, which made it all the harder. After some time, the window began fading out, alerting that it would soon disappear. Still, at the same instant, she could not concentrate, as she saw the boy falling into deeper trouble by the second. Suddenly, while busy with the other things, Ji-ah realized her shadow was nowhere to be seen. Her instincts told her that something severe was about to happen. Her mind churned on what to do (standing on tippy-toes), and in the end, she disregarded the window and jumped at Lee Dojin, pulling him away. Right after, 3 spikes fell from the sky, embedding themselves in the ground. They then shapeshifted into Ji-ahs shadow, which seemed upset as she could not achieve her goal. "What are you doing? Did you choose," he asked. "Not yet! How can I when you were about to turn into skewers? I''m going to do it now," she replied, and at the exact moment. The screen disappeared. "Ah. Nevermind." "We''re ruined." Lee Dojin closed his eyes and massaged his temples. This was not what he expected. Ji-ahs face turned white. But at the same time, she did not regret her choice. Her life, which was close to the end, was worth the sacrifice, she believed. "Wait, something is appearing." She squinted her eyes. "The Saintess?" "What?" He had never heard of that one. "Read the description." In the background, the shadows began assimting again. She began narrating. "Born from emptiness, the Warrior came bearing nothing. Broken before birth, crushed by life, and destroyed by fateeven when doing everything right, you lose." Her voice quivered as she read that passage. "Destiny gave you two choices: A false heaven, or eternal hell. But what is a world without truth? Lament the unfairness, quiver in jealousy. Rebel. Rebel. Rebel. And maybe, atst, the Warrior shall be the beacon for those without hope. You shall be the first thing that came from nothing." As she continued reading, Lee Dojin felt his heart palpating like crazy. He had to hold his chest, as the beating overwhelmed even her voice. He breathed out, trying to rx. But he had a strong hunch he knew what that Affinity was. "What do I chose?" "It is your choice." "You say that, but your face shows otherwise." She clicked on the screen. "The Saintess it is." And as she did, a feeling offort washed over her. She felt as if all her problems had vanished at once, forgetting even the shadows that were inching closer. And when she opened her eyes, the system window had changed, leaving behind a sinct, yet devastating message Affinity: Light (S). Chapter 38: The Story of Chapter 38: The Story of "Haha, Ahahaha." Lee Dojinughed out. He threw his head back, his hand holding his mouth. "The Saintess? Light? What a riot." Even though the shadows had started attacking again, he did not feel any urgency. "Hell, there is just something about The Mirage that creates such fateful encounters." He grabbed Ji-ah and teleported away. Though he had used his one time already, that did not mean he didn''t have other ways to shift through dimensions with other people. One way was to throw Ji-ah while moving to another star and then catching her. She may feel dizzy, but she could notin about the effectiveness. His brain churned, thinking about her Affinity, and what it meant for the future. Light. What a beautiful word. Great mncholy, mixed with nostalgia, as thest decades of his life shed past him, piercing through the shadow of his memory. It was a cathartic feeling. But at the same time, he wondered why Ji-ah would change her Affinity in this worldline. It did not seem as if her past was any different than before. He thought about how Light had appeared after the other two disappeared. An Affinity was based on experience, memory, and way of life, meaning it had to be within her all the time, yet it never surfaced in her old life. He had a hunch on why that happened. "It''s because I chose it first." The Affinity of Light was ranked with its rarity at S. There could only be one in the entire. Maybe even the gxy. That was what it meant to be of the highest rarity (putting aside Lee Dojin''s EX). Ji-ah never had a chance as the Affinity had already assimted with him first. And it may also be because she had taken another mindset in this crucial step of life, which birthed this new Affinity, thus it came after the other two had vanished. A grin appeared on his face. He realized the future had changed. Maybe only by a minuscule amount, but it still meant that he was not fighting in hopeless determinism. But that was true, he did not travel back to the past but into a parallel universe, through the power of his mother, one of the greatest Outer Gods. Of course, she would have thought about that. While atop Lee Dojin''s shoulder, Ji-ah kept reading all the new messages popping up. She felt her head spin, seeing all the information piling up. "It tells me to choose a skill, which one do I take." "Again, that''s up to you," he told her while fending off against the other shadows. "But why don''t you read them out, I''m sure it will help." She nodded. "The first one is called Radiant Scorch. Ah, watch out," she shouted as the shadows of a few leaves shoot towards them at breakneck speed. She had already seen what these things could do. One such small shadow was sharper than a de, embedding themselves into stone. Lee Dojin shoved Ji-ah aside then twisted his body, dodging the leaves in the air. They passed him, and he then phased back to Ji-ah. "Don''t worry about me. Just choose a skill." A branch flew in his direction, and he pped it away, as it threatened to pierce his skull. "As you know, this skill you choose will determine your first steps. It isn''t as important as your Affinity, but I still wouldn''t take it lightly." "Got it," Ji-ah responded. She continued reading, this time not minding the asional noise. She, for some reason, believed that Lee Dojin could handle it. "Where was I? Ah, yes, Radiant Scorch. Skill Tier: B, Level 1. The light symbolizes virtue. Every time the user hits a creature, it is marked with a searing light. All marked creatures take the same damage." Lee Dojin smiled. "It really is the same Affinity. Unbelievable." He started exining. "Upon activating the skill, you can leave a mark on your enemy. That mark will look like a bright tattoo, the form of the sun. That ability really starts to shine when you have several targets marked. Damaging one target would be the same as damaging all the other ones. For example, if you stab someone, the wound appears on everyone else too. The mark vanishes when you fall unconscious or asleep." He kicked a shadow away, though it did not do much. "The disadvantage is that the bright mark is incredibly obvious, and also stings like a burn wound, so a sneak attack is out of the question. Also, it will take a toll on you, in the form of headaches, as the ability is rather strong, so maybe unsuited for a beginner." "I, uh, I see," Ji-ah muttered with a vacant nod. She wanted to ask him how he knew all that, but she simply chalked it up with the rest of his knowledge. Who knows? Maybe he had prepared a year in advance or is the son of some fantasy creature. She was okay with any news. "I''m going to continue with the next one then." However, if she really learned the truth, she may just fall over from shock. "Please do." "Brightsword. Tier: C, Level 1. Through bing one with the light, the user can control it into a weapon." A tree swung its branch. She ducked down, but still felt the breeze following right behind it. "The userpresses the light surrounding them, then shoots it forward, creating a devastating beam." "With this ability, you take the light around, cing it into your hand, then shoot it out at light speed. It''s like aser. or a railgun. But unlike the Lightning Affinity, it does not leave a thunderous echo. No, it is instant, and burns a precise hole." He paused, catching his breath. It has been a long time since he had to work out like this, and he slowly reached the bottom of his endurance. Meanwhile, the shadows hadn''t dissipated by one. But he did not care. No, rather, he felt ted. "Also, do not be fooled by the description. It does not turn your surroundings dark even if you absorb the light around you. When you get stronger and gain the skill of Thousand Eyes, you should be able to see a different ''light''. One not perceived by ordinary humans. That''s the thing you absorb." Ji-ah took in all the information. She understood this ability a little more, as she had watched a lot of cartoons where such energizing beams appeared. It was obvious that this one was simr. "That sounds pretty cool, not gonna lie." As a physics teacher, she knew about the idea of optical amplification through stimted radiation. It was like putting a giant magnifying ss on the sun, only that she was the conduit. Lee Dojin watched her. "You can choose it if you want." She put it at the back of her mind for now and read thest skill. "Double Quantum. Tier A, Level 1. The user forms their bright future through the darkness of the past. Through the activation of this skill, the user phase through the material world for a split second." "Never heard of it." That was natural. After all, even if their Affinity was the same, their title wasn''t. And there was only one bearer of light on this, so he didn''t have many options to peer review. "But it must be a defensive skill since you already have the support and offensive one." "I think it has something to do with the wave-particle duality, a concept that states light can be particle and wave, so maybe it is trying to allude to that." Ji-ah rubbed her chin. "Well, it does not matter, because I think I know what I want," she said and stopped running. The shadows from behind swiftly caught up, enveloping her. numerous eyes and mouth started assimting, holding her down, and bubbling like a fluid lifeform. Ji-ah winced in pain, but her eyes remained steadfast. "Brightsword." A distant memory shed by. Not from her, not from Lee Dojin, and certainly not from any bystander. Still, it yed, with an audience of no one, passing by unnoticed. "get up! Get up!" A woman screamed. Upon closer inspection, it was Baek Ji-ah. However, unlike with Lee Dojin, she did not have her bright smile. Instead, her eyes were filled with tears. Her clothes were tattered, and red with bloodbut it was not hers. She crouched, genuflecting, her head on the floor. The school surrounded her, broken and in mes. The windows were shattered, the doors broken, and chunks of the wall were missing. In front of hery a boy, whose light slowly faded away. It was Il Chunghoo, who held onto her, hisst sentence left saying he had been sorry. She screamed her voice away, but so did everyone else, in this school that had turned into hell itself. Monsters, the shape of grotesque insects swarmed around her. They were the size of her head, and the mere sight could cause anyEntomophobic person to faint. Ji-ah did not understand. She only wished to retire as a teacher, how did ite to this? Everything happened so fast. Yes, Ji-ah did wish for the world to disappear, but not like this. Suddenly, a message appeared in front of her. Was it her fault? She stared up, shouting at God, but was drowned by the buzzing insects. Helplessughter escaped her, her eyes turningpletely ck. The clear message shed peacefully in front of her. "My Affinity," she muttered silently, "You win. I will take it. Let me be a heartless woman, a woman without a soul. Just let me forget the pain and drown me in sedation." She cried out, onest time. And thus, she became the woman who would bear the Affinity of Decay, one strong enough, to even necrotize fate. The shback continued rolling. Maybe it was the System, who had valued history and legacy the most, that wished to convey this helpless memory, forgotten by everyone. Or maybe it was a simple mistake, a w in the universethere seemed to be a lot of these. Still, it did not matter, as a bright light pierced through the painful memory, burning it away. The light, it came from below, but reached high, high, without a curve, unbending. The shadows dissipated one by one, burned by the skill. Ji-ah resurfaced, unscathed. Lee Dojin smiled. He had seen it. From now on, there was no Mother of Ravens. Instead, a new story began, from an old tale, under the guise of light. One of virtue and healing, and maybe even repentance for old legacies. The story of the Saintess, Baek Ji-ah. Chapter 39: Top 3 Chapter 39: Top 3 Ji-ah muttered, "That was incredible." The shadows around her had been burned away, returning everything back to normalcy. "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" Lee Dojin sight followed the path of her light beam, which had now dissipated. The leaves and branches had burned down, leaving a gaping hole in a few trees until itnded on a stone, where a ck scorch mark and crystallized ss now was. "I still can''t quite believe it." Ji-ah lifted her hands and looked at them. Her eyes were wide open, while her mouth stayed ck-jawed. "That something like that from me." As she said so, her head suddenly started aching. She groaned, rubbing her temples. "Don''t worry about that. It''s the consequence of overcharging your ability. With time, the headaches will get better," he assured her. "At one point, you may not feel any at all." "I see," she said, and already felt the headache vanish. It indeed was negligible. "There''s a message hovering above me, it says to ept the reward. How do I do it?" "Just let it happen, it will teleport in front of you." Ji-ah heeded his advice and took the reward. Right after, the upgrading crystal appeared in her hand. Reading the description, she was in for another shock. "It says it can upgrade the rank of any skill I want. I don''t know much, but that sounds pretty good, right?" "Pretty good is an understatement. It''s a miracle they even give this to you," he replied. "You should use it on your ability." "Right now?" She hesitated. Her grip tightened. The trees continued rustling, even those burned by the light. Lee Dojin did not understand why. "What are you waiting for?" Ji-ah stayed silent. She looked at the glowing blue stone in her hand. Her brows furrowed, as if she thought hard about her next steps. After a rough sigh, followed by a relieved, yet somewhat sad smile, she threw the stone to Lee Dojin. "Here, you can have it." He caught it, albeit with confusion. "What do you want me to do with this?" "I have no need for it," she told him, steadfast. "After all, I don''t have much longer to live. Instead of wasting it on me, you should use it yourself. Still, I am thankful that you showed me this new world. It was fun to experience it, so close to my deathbed." She paused. After saying her words, her mind was now serene. "Ah, if it''s not too much, could you look after my father? He''s old and a grump. I''m unsure if he can survive with all these new changes." Lee Dojin let her speak without interrupting. "It would seem that there is a misunderstanding." He tightly held onto the stone. "I think it would be good if I exin this to you now. See, this is a mindset hard for us humans to understand, but for Gods and Higher Beingsincluding the Systemdeath does not necessarily mean the end of lifespan or a heart that stops beating. To them, it is when their legacy is forgotten, that they truly are dead. When there''s no one to remember them, to pass on their life and beliefs. It''s a little hard for me to understand too." "Uhm, okay," she replied, confused. "That''s nice for them, but I am a mere human." Lee Dojin shook his head. "You aren''t anymore. You are a yer that holds a legacy. That skill of yours is proof of that. I suppose I never exined to you how skills are formed. See, it is when you expand on your own legacy that you are granted new abilities." He lifted his finger. "In essence, when youplete certain tasks, and you leave behind something extraordinary, the system grants a new skill. Break a world record, kill a hundred people, cure an illness, and even more exotic ones, like revive the dead, be a deity, or break the world. But not anything works. Different Affinities have different tasks toplete. No one really knows which." He said, and a grin appeared. "Except for me." Ji-ah felt her heart skip. The info seemingly had nothing to do with her, yet she sensed that it did. And it did tremendously so. "So, how do I fit into this equation?" Lee Dojin reminisced about his old life. "Save a nation and be its hero. The skill you gain is called Holy Intervention." He paused. "The user gains immunity to all illnesses and negative status effects. That includes any past ones too. No exception." He patted her shoulder. "Protect your father yourself. I''m sure you''ll do well." Ji-ah held her mouth. Those words made her cry again, but this time, they were different. They were sobs of relief. "Goddamnit." She wiped her tears away. "I''m usually not that emotional, I promise." She let out a burst of self-deprecatingughter. "It''s fine," Lee Dojin said. "Let your tears flow freely, so when the timees, you can smile without any regrets." She nodded wholeheartedly. "But saving a nation.. . That sounds hard. Is that even doable?" "Don''t worry. I''m quite strong," he assured her. There wasn''t an ounce of worry in his voice, which helped Ji-ah rx. "With me helping you, it will be as fast as light. " He then walked away. "Well then, you can mull over what to do with the stone. Though in the first ce, you can''t give it to me anyway since it''s bound to you. Meanwhile please take a step back. It might get ugly otherwise." Lee Dojin looked at the sky. There was something he hadn''t done yet; he took out the sand in his bagan amount iparable to the previous times. Even though the sun had gone down considerably, it was still enough for its intended purposes. The time hade for him to fight against his own shadows. Ji-ah thought that she had managed pretty well, fending off against the shadows, but what she witnessed now had subverted all her silly preconceptions. Her little squabble was nothingpared to how Lee Dojin handled them. It looked like he was performing an intricate dance, swaying through the world, the shadowswhether they wanted or notsimply became props to showcase his skills. "Amazing," was all she could mutter in a daze. Lee Dojin stopped moving after a while. Not because he was out of juice, no, it was that the shadows had been turned to mush and wholly dissipated. He had cleared the Hidden Quest once more. A broad smile appeared on him. He had finally achieved his long-awaited[ gond that, so close to the deadline too. [Congrattions! You have reached rank 1 in the Hidden Quest: Shadows of the Past!] [The warrior has sessfully created a legacy. An additional reward will be issued. Please prepare to receive it.] ... "Sensei, Sensei!" A young boy ran into the dojo, screaming. He burst into an old room, which has decorated with nothing but tatami flooring and a Tayama, dedicated to the deceased ancestors, in the middle. An older man sat in the middle. his hands sped, praying. The boy panted, out of breath. "You have to check the rankings!" "I''ve seen it, Uzuwara. Calm down." The man offered an incense stick. On his sidey a long Naginata that remained sheathed. "Looks like I''m ced fourth now." The boy was unsure of how to react. Seeing his teacher this serene, he felt awkward making such a scene. "Then what does that mean?" "Maybe that they are stronger than me. Who knows?" "Stronger than Sensei," the boy muttered, finding it hard to believe. To him, the man was the pinnacle of human evolution, meaning, a being stronger than his teacher could not be human. "Is that even possible?" "There are many kinds of wonders in this wide world, some that are inborn with talent. It isn''t out of question." He took the Nagitata and walked outside. The garden greeted him with a fresh wind. The man rubbed his chin. "But I''d love to meet that person someday." ... "What is the meaning of this!" An old man somewhere in a rural town of Brazil shouted. He had several scars running down his face, and wore beige camouged clothes with a bulletproof vest. Strapped to his side was a gun. "I don''t give a damn if you arecking behind the first ranked, since that guy is an uncontroble wildcard anyway, but now you aren''t even second?" He mmed on the desk. "Oh don''t be so loud." The woman picked her ears. She sat rxed, leaning against a chair with her bare feet on the table. She had golden-brown skin with hair color as white as snow. "Also, that guy, what was his title? Ah, that Bodhisattva isn''t rank one anymore." "Don''t give me that bullshit. Do you know how much money we paid?" Themander shouted, his neck red. "Do you know what will happen if you don''t get this sorted out?" Immediately, the woman''s face turned frosty. "Are you threatening me?" her eyes turned dark, and she showed her teeth, as if a feral beast. The man gulped, feeling the temperature in the room change. "That''s not what I mean. Just see if you can do something about it." "I was thinking to do so anyway," The womanughed, returning to her yful nature. "You know, I''ve never gotten a silver medal in my life, but now it''s even bronze? Crazy world, huh?" ... "Hohoho, what a surprise," a blond man, with European facial features said andughed. He looked at the screen with a smile. "Someone has surpassed me." The sun shone brightly on him, illuminating his bare chest. By itself, it would not look out of the ordinary, if only he was not in the middle of Western Siberia, at the coldest time of the year. Though it was great for the creation of shadowsespecially when it hailed. Surrounding him was nothing but snow, burying him knee-deep. A harsh wind that seemed to freeze skin and flesh kept baragging him, but he appeared not to care. "Inheritor of the Universe. And here I thought my name was exaggerated," he joked. "Well, may his or her life be bountiful, and his spirit rest without worry. Amitbha." The man dredged himself through the snow, behind him a pool of fresh blood, littered with corpses and carcasses. Chapter 40: End of the World Chapter 40: End of the World At the same time, while Lee Dojin reached the top rank Ah Yeurong held her face in worry. She was a young girl, barely starting high-school, with ck hair tied in a loose bun. Lately, she had felt nauseous and thus hadn''t gone to school. Her mother had wrapped her tightly in a nket, with hot porridge on her bedside table. She had been thankful for that but held a terrible hunch that it was not a simple cold. "You''ve got to be kidding," she muttered, her face blue. Her eyes remained tightly glued on the little stick in her hand. She cooped herself in the bathroom, holding her head in dismay. "No, there''s no way," she said. "I can''t possibly be pregnant." Though she said so, the test came positive. The idea of pregnancy had been on her mind before, but mostly floating as little bubbles of thoughts above her head, acting as Soothsayers to her Kingdom. Who hadn''t lived through the asional pregnancy-scare before? However, it was when she missed her period, the bubbles had turned into more of an Orcale, yet until now, she still held on hope. The girl rubbed her eyes, trying not to cry. How was she supposed to tell her parents? The school? Those were questions worth askingbut not the only ones. The world seemed to sink, and she felt her stomach grow heavier. There was just no way. The feeling of doom slowly crept up her way. She took out her phone, dialing the number of her boyfriend. Tae Sukjin. He had been an older boy, having just finished hispulsory military service and about to start college. Finance and Investments, Ah Yeurong remembered him saying. He sounded real smart at that time, very much unlike the goofballs in her own school. Maybe that was what attracted her to him. The boy had that mature aura that she so desperately clung to. Even when they met in one of the clubs in Hongdae, he had been different, mysterious, and interesting. A schr that would fight a robber with words and literature, and also a businessman; she did not understand much, but it sounded exciting. But if he was so smart, why was this situation happening? In hindsight, getting with him, that may not have been the best choice. Ah Yeurong felt a lump in her throat. It almost hurt, listening to the beeps of her phone as she felt like her heart skipped several beats, bing more irregr Than Seoul weather during April. The beeps continued, until a long one appeared, and a mechanical voice had told her the man was busy, and she should leave a message. "Shit shit shit," she said silently and kept rubbing her nose. Her bun had fallen apart, making her hair free-flowing. She dialed his number again. No dice. That''s the problem with those academicsnever there when one needed them. She had learned this lesson for the first time. Guess even with all her skipping in school, she still studied new things. Very funny. Ah Yeurong leaned on the sink, clenching her fist so tightly, it shook. She caught herself in the mirror, her face pale and her expression haggard. It almost made her burst into tears. A whimper escaped her, but she swallowed it back. The pink pregnancy stick fell into her eyes. The two lines seemed to mock her. Her brows furrowed as she grabbed that thing and threw it on the ground, it shatteredin her mindloudly, and broke into detachable pieces, revealing a little tablet inside. Her anger rapidly faded, seeing the mess she left, and she quickly scrambled to pick it up. "Why''d I do that? Why''d I do that?" She kept whispering to herself and searching for the individual pieces. "I''m, such an idiot." A knock on the door awoke Ah Yeorong from her trance. Her father asked, "Yeorong, dear, are you alright? I heard something fall and you haven''t answered me when I called." Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She was, in fact, not alright. "It''s fine dad, it''s fine." She stuffed what was the pregnancy test into her pocket and opened the door. Ah Yeorongs father, Ah Saeng-un, stood right in front, his face riddled with worry. It was as if he already knew. But that wasn''t possible, was it? "You are in a worse state than I thought," he said, "thank god I took time off to look at you. What do you think, maybe we should go to the hospital after all?" Yeorong shook her head and hand at the same time. "Sorry, not now. I''m thinking about something important, so let me get back to youter." Saying nothing more, she walked up the stairs to her room. Hopefully, her friend Min Eunji would pick up the phone. She simply needed someone to vent. She already dreaded going to school after the weekend. "Damn it, if there''s a god, please, make next week nevere, I beg you," she muttered as she walked up the stairs. ... "Is it okay if I use that stone now," Ji-ah asked Lee Dojin. The two of them walked through the forest, slowly returning to civilization. But they were still quite far away. "Well, either now or never," he said. "You don''t have to, quite honestly. Though the system gives you an ability it deems objectively better, I personally think that every skill is unique in its use, so if you are happy with what you have, just keep it like this. But just know, a chance like this won''te that easily again." "Hmm." Ji-ah gave it a long thought. But honestly, she did not know how to properly ess the pros and cons. She knew too little about the topic after all. "I''ll just upgrade it then. I mean, what''s the worst that can happen? It''s not like I''m too attached to that skill." "A good choice," Lee Dojin said and nodded. "What do I do," she asked, but that question was answered by a hovering message appearing in front of her. Not used to these things, it caught her startled, and she jumped back in fright. The system asked her which skill she wished to upgrade, and Ji-ah answered. "Brightsword." As per usual, the stone glowed a bright blue, then turned into little orbs, slowly assimting with her body. [Saintess, Baek Ji-ah Affinity: Light (S) Skills: Smite (B) Rank 989/6023] The woman looked at her new skill in a daze. "It turned into Smite," she said while trying to click around the status message. "The user gathers andpresses the light in the sky, until bursts down from high above, scorching its target and their vicinity." "Oho, interesting. There are some differences after all," Lee Dojin muttered, thinking about his previous title. But he did know this ability. "How about you use it?" "Wait, right now?" "Do you want to wait until you are in grave danger?" Ji-ah squinted her eyes. "You make a great point." He nced through the vicinity, searching for a target. "Look over there, see that bird flying in the distance," he pointed at the sky, "Try hitting it." "Uh, I don''t know, I kind of feel bad for it. I don''t really want to harm something innocent," she said, but after seeing Lee Dojin''s stare, she swallowed her resistance. Right. No matter how much it seemed so, this wasn''t a game after all. "Okay, I''ll try it now." She closed one eye and put her hand into a gun gesture. There was no particr reason for doing so. She simply felt it to be right. Her sight locked onto the bird, and she whispered, "Smite." At once, light gathered in the sky, right above the bird. It gathered, turning brighter, as if the sun were descending to earth. The clouds surrounding it appeared to dissipate, maybe due to the heat. Soon after, a blinding beam of light rained down, the size of a tree, and it burned through everything in its path. If one was none the wiser, they may have mistaken it for punishment doled out by heaven itself. The light burned the bird to ashes, then burned the ashes, leaving nothing of it behind. Ji-ah watched dumbfoundedly, as everything unfolded. "Maybe I should have gestured a hammer," she said, after a long silence. Lee Dojin looked at the sky. The clouds slowly returned, and the light was gone. "That wasn''t too bad," he said. "With the rise of levels, it will turn thicker and burn much stronger, and an evolution gives you the chance to let a multitude of beams rain down the sky. It will look like Armageddon itself. You know, this is really not an ability that you should have unlocked this early." The upgrading stone was really a cheat. It had taken him two years after the First Advent to unlock this ability, and it wasn''t even from a Rank-Up. Ji-ah remained silent. "I don''t know," she said. "Yes, the skill feels nice, and I can stop worrying about obstacles, but the charging time is a little sub-optimal." She rubbed her chin. It had taken around twice as long to charge this ability. "Also, it''s a shame that I can''t use it close to me anymore." "I understand. How about we go to the scene of impact. The sight may change your mind." he grabbed her and walked through the woods. Arriving at the scene, Ji-ah''s eyes opened wide. "This is..." Her voice fell short. The whole ground was charred, with the middle having turned into a crater the size of several meters. In the middle, the stone had turned into glowing redva. The surrounding trees had their branches burned off. "I think,pared to this, the previous ability seems near useless." Ji-ah did notin for the rest of the road. After half an hour, the two of them arrived at civilization, though it was nothing more than an empty street with no peoplea sight rare for Seoul. "Well, I suppose that marks our little adventure," Lee Dojin told Ji-ah. "There''s a train station on the right side. You should be able to find the rest, right?" "Huh, uh, yes," Ji-ah answered. "Wait so that''s it?" She felt like Alice again, only this time, it was as if she had crawled out the rabbit hole. An unknown feeling of emptiness enveloped her, as she turned around to gaze at the forested area. "You have all the info that you need. It''s fine, we''ll see each other tomorrow anyway." He waved and walked away. "Oh, that''s right, the excursion!" Her eyes lit up, thinking about it. "I almost forgot to give you the details, I know it''s not usually a school day, so I was worried you may not want toe, but I''m d you decided on it." "Uh," Lee Dojin tilted his head in confusion. He wasn''t prepared for this reaction. But in the end, he only said, "Sure." But truthfully speaking, he was thinking about the end of the worlding close to happening. Chapter 41: Plans in Motion Chapter 41: ns in Motion "So, what do you think," Oh Sanbaek nervously asked Park Hansoo. "I''m sure you can''t stand that Lee Dojin either right? If we do something like this, we are sure to get rid of him tomorrow. Another plus side is that you get to earn some money with it too. See it as some kind of investment, I''m sure you can arrange something, right?" If they could get this guy''s approval, it would help tremendously with his n of getting even with Lee Dojin. The only problem was that he could not get a read on this guy; It was vexing. Park Hansoo rubbed his chin. He was in deep thought, his brows asionally furrowing. "You have done your research." He paused. "Still, I don''t know." "Ohe on," he replied, clicking his tongue. His arm in the cast hurt like hell, and every time it stung, his wrath for Lee Dojin grew exponentially. Oh Sanbaek took a sip of his coffee. It was still hot, lightly scalding his tongue as he pulled back. The two of them sat in a posh cafe around Hongdae station. It stood on the second floor, and the two of them had a window seat, giving them a great scenery of the many students and young workers shuffling through the street, buying little trinkets from outdoor stores, watching street performers, or looking for an appropriate club to join; It was Friday night. The busiest time of the week. Oh Sanbaek chose this ce deliberately, to make him appear more trendy. He also ordered a coffee, instead of the usual iced americano, because he thought it would make him seem mature. Everything had been intricately designed for him to leave a favorable impression. However, it was still not going as nned. "See, even if you tell me all this, there''s no reason for me to believe you. Yes, you know how to talk, but that''s it," Park Hansoo said. "Yes, you are right, I''m not a fan of Lee Dojin. Still, what makes you think that I''d like you? This isn''t a war game where the enemy of my enemy is my friend or something. Frankly, I find your assessment unrealistic." "Okay, okay, I got it," Oh Sanbaek relented, he threw his only good arm up into the air to signify defeat. "If you are scared, just say so. I don''t really care it''s your loss." "Hold on, who said I was scared?" "Oh sorry, it must have slipped out of my mouth," he said and smirked. "But am I wrong? I heard that you pride yourself in your money and business acumen, but seems like it was all baseless rumors, seeing how you can''t tell a jewel from a stone." Park Hansoo squinted his eyes. "With jewel, do you mean that sweatshop you guys run, which has turned their own students into prisoners and freebor?" "We are having record-breaking revenue. Is there anything wrong with making some money by the side? If you don''t lose a few of your morals, you won''t make it in this society. You know, more and more people from our school are getting into the business." He scoffed. "Aside from money, you have something else you want, right? Say, you like Kim Jyejin, don''t you?" Park Hansoo''s left eye twitched. He took a sip from his tea. "...You really did your research." He had tried his best to keep it a secret. How did this guy find out about this? That was true, Oh Sanbaek thought to himself. That was just his way. As a coward, a weakling, a small-fry, the only weapon he could wield was information. His strengthy in his tongue. At first, he thought Lee Dojin was the same as himno, for a long time, he was. But times have changed. He could only acknowledge, he was wrong. Still, may it be for a greater purpose or sheer envy, he could not stand seeing someone like him rise up. So ever since Lee Dojin broke his arm, he dreamed of revenge and gathered as much information as he could. He had even gotten mixed up with the local gangs around the neighborhood. Yes, that was correct, the men dressed in ck hade to school because of himOh Sanbaek. "You know a lot, but you don''t understand it," Park Hansoo said andughed. Well, not everyone could be as gifted as him, he thought. "Sooner orter, your little game is gonna implode. I don''t want that on my resume." Oh Sanbaek shook his head. He was deeply disappointed. "No. It''s you who does not understand. We have Do Jiwoon on our side. You have never met him, so it is hard for you to see, but that man is different. He''s no human, you''ll see." Thinking about that person, sweat dripped from his face. "At times, I think he''s some esper or something. Maybe a dude with a superpower. With him by your side, you''ll never lose. I swear that on my life." As a coward, he had a penchant for finding strong people. They had a certain aura with them, a light, that felt warm and embraced him. Clinging onto them, that''s how he survived. But Do Jiwoon; that man was different. All he could see were wailing ghosts, and blue, ocean-deep eyes that drove even the abyss into despair. But it was Do Jiwoon that saved him, even if only indirectly. His name alone had made those goons back off. And it was the same guy who had promised Lee Dojin''s fall. How could he not take the opportunity? Park Hansoo was blissfully oblivious to all of Oh Sanbaeks racing thoughts. "Listen, Lee Dojin or Do Jiwoon.. . these two mean nothing in front of me," he said and let out a peal of boisterousughter. "What''s the annual ie of their parents? What prospective colleges do they have lined up? How much do they have in a trust fund? Compared to me, these two are justzymoners. They will both disappear with me lifting a single finger, just watch. In the end, it will be I, Park Hansoo, who will reign supreme." Oh Sanbaek eyes turned dark. "I see," he muttered. He had realized, there was no point talking to this dude. What a shame. The rest of their meeting ended in a standstill, with neither of them aplishing anything. Frankly, Oh Sanbaek regarded Park Hansoo as a buffoon. They parted ways after a bit more small talk. In front of the cafe, Il Chunghoo, had been waiting, smoking a cigarette, while asionally catcalling women he deemed pretty enough. "It didn''t work out," Oh Sanbaek said, "let''s go." Il Chunghoo lifted his head and tilted it. He said no words, but one could tell he was confused. "You joking? Did you forget? It''s me Oh Sanbaek." "Of course I know who you are, retard." He pped Sanbaeks head. "I was just thinking why we were there again." "How are you this forgetful? I was just talking to Park Hansoo. You know, that dude that''s going to the same school as us? Well, forget it. It didn''t work out anyway." Oh Sanbaek clicked his tongue. " "Sure. But I''m just wondering, why do we have to do this tomorrow? I mean, it''s not like we are doing badly. Business is booming. So why go through all that risk," Il Chunghoo asked. "It''s like he has a specific day in mind, and is frantically preparing for it. "You idi.. . wait that''s actually a good question." Oh Sanbaek mulled over his words. "Well, it''s hard to tell what he thinks. But he is always right." And in the end, all that mattered to him was to get back at Lee Dojin. ... ".. .Yes Mom. No, you don''t have to worry. Yes, everything''s alright." In a dark booth, shrouded by the darkness of the night, the voice of a girl rang out. From afar, the shadows obscured herpletely, though one may infer from her voice that she was shaken to the core. A mechanical buzz asionally returned. The sound of a phone, and the person on the other side. The girl continued talking, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "Yes Mom. I will. We are treated well here, and the food is great. Don''t worry. Yes, I will behave from now on. Yes Mom. Love you too." A long beep echoed within the booth. The line had been cut. Only a few meters apart, there were another group of people silently observing her. They showed no reaction. In the middle sat a young man. He remained silent, with a warm smile, and if no one paid attention to him, he may have just phased into the background. The boy used to have dark, ck hair, but as he let it grow out, people came to realize his roots were white. His blue eyes remained glued on the girl. The girl looked at him. "I''ve done everything you asked, please don''t hurt me. Please." A streak of light quickly shone upon her. She had short brown hair, with full lips and ssy eyes. Tears flowed down her cheeks, but it was hard to tell, as she was doused in cold water. She was stark-naked, as she sat, shaking from the cold, next to the corded phone. The girl shifted around her bare butt itching from the cold concrete rubbing against her. Still, the humiliation was suppressed by the absolute fear she felt. "Why would I do that, aren''t we friends? I''m not a brute." Do Jiwoon squatted in front of her. "You got to talk to your mother. Isn''t that great? A lot of people would die for that chance." The girl shuddered, as she whimpered forward, crawling on her knees. She grabbed his feet and prostrated. "I''m sorry, I won''t resist anymore. Please, just let my friends go." "We are all friends here." As he said so, his phone rang. Without even looking, he declined the call. It had happened rather often these days, but nobody dared ask him. He walked out of the booth, ignoring the girl. Still, she kept her head down. The other people remained inside, glued to the spot. Do Jiwoon looked at the moon, which reflected in his irises. "Tomorrow is going to be fun," he said and licked his lips. Chapter 42: Excursion Chapter 42: Excursion It was early in the morning, but Lee Dojin was not sleepy at all. The cold from outside washed in as he opened the window, his curtains flowing with the breeze. He looked at the message hovering in front of him. It was the reward he had gotten for reaching rank 1. Honestly, he was unsure of what to expect since he had never found out what it was in his previous life (though he never cared to do so either). [Reward issued: Title ''King of the Shadows''] Lee Dojin felt conflicted. For one, he was excited as titles were an interesting thing. They were handed out mostly through acknowledgment from either a great deal of people or some higher being. Naturally, the system was a higher being, and thus it was easiest to gain titles from there. The one born through Affinities is a good example. Still, that did not mean gaining a title was easy. No, it was the opposite. There weren''t many with additional titles. But that was what made them so special. Another thing was that they granted great powers, outside of one''s Affinity. Such was the case with this particr reward. [Title: King of the Shadows (Rank C) Effects: The user can see in dim light within the radius as if it were bright, and darkness does not affect them. The user can''t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray, but may perceive certain light frequencies not part of the traditional color spectrum] "Wow, that''s near useless," he said. Well, calling it that may be going too far. It did have great utility, and as the previous bearer of light, he did understand the importance of these frequencies. It was simply that he had expected something a little more exciting for reaching the fabled rank 1, and also earning a title through it. "Well, that''s fine, the real reward is still toe." He walked out of his room and was greeted by his mother, Lee SeunheeXh''Endrada for somewaving at him with a spat. She had made some fried eggs, with pieces of bacon atop of it. Not a traditional Korean breakfast, but they weren''t a traditional family either. "So you are going out today," his mother asked him. Lee Dojin nodded. "It''s something with school. We''re going to a museum or something I don''t think it''s going to take that long, so I''ll be back before sunset, I think." Lee Sunhee smiled. "That''s great. I''m off work starting from 15. Maybe we can do something together. You know, family bonding." She watched him down all the food. An unknown sense of pride overcame her. " It''s nice to see you be more outgoing. You never attended these things in the first ce." "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine," he said and ate a piece of toast. It tasted great. His mother watched him silently. "It''s good for you to have fun, but don''t put too much pressure on yourself, got it?" Lee Dojin stopped eating. He looked at her in confusion. "What''s gotten into you? Why would you say that?" "No reason. It only seemed as if you had a lot on your mind these days." Lee Seunhee took a seat in front of him. She reciprocated his gaze. Her dark eyes shed for a moment, then returned to the usual frigidness. "As if you were lost in thought or something." "I suppose I really was thinking about some stuff. But it''s trivial," he said. "You have some good intuition." "I''m your mother. Isn''t that natural," she joked. "I keep repeating myself, but if you have anything you wish to talk about, I''m here." She paused. "Because that is what family is about." A slight pang squeezed at Lee Dojin''s heart. It was so minuscule, he hadn''t even realized it. Yet, it was there, imnted from that magical word, one, so foreign and strange to him. Family. he had heard that term often, as an orphan, then as a student, and in the end as a yer. Yet, it never rang the same way it did today. "Everything is fine. It will be," he told her. A carefree smile escaped his mouth. "I will make sure of it. That''s why I am here." His mother didn''t reply. Instead, she gestured for him to approach her. Lee Dojin did, cing his food down and leaving his seat. He rested his arms on her back, standing behind her. His mother didn''t turn around. She only took his hand and lightly caressed itwith the care a mother should give her son. "Are you happy, Dojin?" Lee Dojin was taken aback but soonposed himself. He breathed out, a carefree sigh. "Yes, mother, I am." His grip tightened, and he leaned down, giving her a big hug. For a few seconds, he closed his eyes. Thoughts of the past swirled on his mind, as they loved doing these days. Xh''Endrada, the Concubine of All Things Parallel, was probably the loneliest God of them all. Unlike any other gods, she had no story; She held no prophecies, no altars, and no sacrifices, for she was not born for worship. Her purpose came only to observe the innumerable nodes of the universes, though the connections hardly needed governance. Every day, every second, like a cog in a great machine, for eons, she continued to ount for the many multiverses, and as time passed, even her fellow gods forgot and abandoned her. Those that envied her, those that loved her, those that stood behind her, they too vanished, whether moving on or slowly phasing away, as their legacies became obsolete. But she lived on. Even if no one remembered her, the nodes of the universe would perceive and keep her eternal. Still, at times, she could see from her lonely throne above the gxies, another God dying, like a star that faded out. And she wondered, why did they always look so peaceful? She did not understand. As such, she continued wandering in her pce for one, further away from even the endless void, and continued watching over the countless lifeforms. Compared to his mother, Lee Dojin was sure, his burdens were nothing. His mother''s back was warm to the touch, and he saw from the corner of his eye, her jaunty expression. Thus, he was happy. Time passed, and finally came the part where he had to leave. His mother patted his head. It was a curious feeling, being treated like a normal child, but he didn''t mind. He told her he would be back soon, Lee Seunhee told him to take care, and he walked out the door. As soon as he entered the subway station, he received a call from Kim Heeson. "Yo, Dojin?" "Yes, what''s up?" He ced the phone on speaker and held it in front of him. A passerby gave him a quick annoyed nce, offended by the noise. "Oh, nothing," Kim Heeson said, oblivious that his voice was broadcasted for the surrounding to hear. "Aren''t you gonna be on that excursion today?" "How do you know that? What''s with all of you and your info gathering? You are putting the police to shame." "Yo, it''s not thatplicated," he said. "I was there when that teacher asked you." "Oh well, that''s true." Lee Dojin nodded. "Yes, I''m going to that excursion. It sounds fun, so why not?" "I see, I see. It''s with Ji-ah Seungsengnim, right? If that''s so that would mean that bas I mean, Il Chunghoo is gonna be there too, right? Right?" Lee Dojin thought about it. "I don''t know. I suppose it does. Well, if he isn''t skipping, that is. You delinquents do have quite the track record when ites to that. He was quite the one to say that, Kim Heeson thought, but did not say out loud, as he did not want his neck broken. "But that''s good! Send me your location, I''ll be there." "I didn''t know you liked history." As he said so, Lee Dojin observed the things around them. He thought to himself how great the shadows were today. If he wanted to, he could achieve quite a lot in the Hidden Quest. "Of course not. I just want to get even with that Il Chunghoo. I''ve been thinking all the time, it''s bugging the hell out of me." He paused. "Kim Jyejin told me about what''s happening. I know of the stakes now." "Tsk that bbermouth." Lee Dojin sighed. "But you misunderstand. I don''t have anything to do with what''s happening around school or elsewhere. The only person I have something to do with is Do Jiwoon. But that dude can wait." He ced the phone back to his ear again. "Anyway, I''m hanging up. I''ve almost arrived." Heeson shouted loudly, "Wait, are you joking? You''re just gonna leave it at that?" Dojin held the phone away from him. "Alright, don''t scream, I''ll send you Taewon and Dahee''s number. Don''t do too much trash." "Wait, hold on, don''t hang up yet! I''m going to meet Park Wonho. Do you want to leave him a message?" "Tell him to get well soon. Goodbye." And he thus hung up. He had arrived at the meeting ce. It was time for an excursion. Chapter 43: Interesting Development Chapter 43: Interesting Development "Hey, Dojin, here!" Kim Jyejin said and waved her hands. She had left her hair untied, with only a flower pin stuck in it. For the first time, he saw her not with a school uniform, but casual clothes: A navy-blue hoodie, ck leggings, and sports shoes. It had a different vibe, but suited Jyejin nheless. The other students seemed to agree, as they asionally stole nces at her in either more or envy. Lee Dojin looked around, making sure he was at the right spot (they were supposed to meet above Dongdaemun station, right next to the SKT Mobile Center), then faced Jyejin again. "What are you doing here?" "Yes, a great day to you too." She walked forward and greeted him. "What''s with the long face? You need to poop?" Lee Dojin tilted his head. First to the left, then right. "What are you doing here," he could only ask again. "Why are you this rude," Kim Jyejin said with exasperation and puffed her cheeks. "I was bored." "Is that so," he muttered. Well, it wasn''t like she would be in the way or something. He only decided to join the excursion on a whim, so it didn''t matter. No, having somepany might be fun. "But certainly, you are bored very often." "Right? I think so too." She nodded. "Korea is just too quiet. I wish I was born in some messy ce like America instead." "They''d cry hearing you. Don''t believe everything the news says. It''s not that bad overseas." Lee Dojin ced his hand on her head and walked forward. He wanted to see who else was present today. "Also, who knows, things might get a lot more interesting soon. Don''t regret your words then." Kim Jyejin grabbed his hand. At first, she was dissatisfied, but surprise soon encumbered it, and her eyebrows raised in shock. When had his hands be so big? She turned around and saw his back. The boy she used to protect appeared so tall, though she never had noticed. It was like he had be a different person. .. though that wasn''t possible, right? She shook these stupid thoughts away. "Come on, it''s not like you''ve been there. How would you know?" He gave her a quick nce and smiled slightly. "You''d be amazed," he muttered in passing. Within the crowd, a familiar person immediately caught his eye. "Hey, isn''t that guy in our ss," he asked and pointed at a boy with a cast. The boy saw him too, his eyes shaking lightly, and he quickly hid in the masses while gnashing his teeth. Kim Jyejin clicked her tongue. Her expression turned frosty. "You mean Oh Sanbaek that piece of shit?" her voice turned low. "I don''t know why he''s here either, and I don''t really care to find out." Lee Dojin nodded. He understood. He had read the old Dojin''s diary after all. Apart from him, maybe Jyejinas the protector and childhood friendheld the most hatred for that guy. "Yes, but don''t you think it''s weird with what people he is hanging around?" He pointed at the general vicinity. As if by fate, there was, of course, Il Chunghoo, rubbing his head and generally looking confused. The world was indeed small; The two people not supposed to be liked gathered together like tiger moths to the light. It wasn''t only those two; Their group was full of people, but he did not recognize anyone else. He scrutinized the other students. There wasn''t anything out of the ordinary, except for the girl with a messy bun, nibbling on her thumb, appearing nervous. But Lee Dojin thought it had nothing to do with him. He did realize something though. "She''ste." Baek Ji-ah was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was another teacher, a male one wearing a tracksuit, standing in the middle and checking the attendance list in his hand. The man rubbed his head with the back of the pencil while continuing to read various names out. Upon closer inspection, he recognized him as the teacher at the ck-suited men incident. The teacher approached him. "You''re Lee Dojin, right?" "That''s correct." "I''ve heard good things about you," he said and smiled. "I''ve already gotten the news. You''re here from another ss, doing this as an extracurricr activity, I see. That''s good. My name''s Dong Jowoon. I hope we get along." His eyes fell on the smiling Kim Jyejin. He read the names on the board. "And who are you?" "Kim Jyejin, Seungsengnim. I''m also here for extracurricr activities." "I see, we have quite a lot of these today. I wish my students were this diligent." Dong Jowoon noted her name down. "Well, it looks like everyone is here, we just have to wait for Ji-ah, I mean, Baek Seungsengnim now." It didn''t take long for her to arrivethough she was stillte. She jogged out of the subway station, out of breath and her hair unkempt. "Sorry I''mte, I overslept!" She brushed the strands from her face. Ji-ah was wearing a white dress, with arge sun hat and a ck jacket. It was probably to hide against the sun, as she had pale skin from her illness, but Do Jowoon had to gulp once, witnessing her beauty. Ji-ah was equally surprised, seeing him, but not for the same reasons. "Why are you here," she asked him. "And where''s Han Seungsengnim?" "Ah, I forgot to tell you, Han Seungsengim had some personal matters to attend, so I''vee to rece him," Dong Jowoon puffed his chest out. "There weren''t any other teachers that volunteered, so I stuck my head out for you. Let''s work hard." Ji-ah squinted her eyes. "You? Aren''t your subjects English and PE?" "Yes, so?" Jowoon smiled and prepared to. One could see his giddiness to be here." "I majored in Physics and Math," Ji-ah said bluntly. "We are going to a museum based on history." In the first ce, she could only join in this excursion since she was their homeroom teacher. Otherwise, there was no way for her to be part of a museum. "It''s fine, it''s fine," Dong Jowoon brushed her off. "We''ll just let the students do their thing. Our job is to simply watch over them." He ced his hand on her shoulder. "Let''s go." Ji-ah''s face scrunched together, but she quicklyposed herself. She pinched that man''s hand and said, "You walk in the back, I''ll look out at the front since I know the road. Take care that no student trails off." He retracted his hand in pain. "Oh, uh yes," Dong Jowoon replied in a daze. Before he knew it, he stood at the end, alone, and very much not with Ji-ah as he hoped. Kim Jyejin nced at Ji-ah and said, "The way you rejected him was cool as hell." Sheughed. "Like a role-image for all women." "Not at all, you are exaggerating." Ji-ah lightly shook her head and smiled. "But sometimes, you have to stand up for what you think is right, woman or not." "I agree," Jyejin replied. "That dude seemed rather sketchy anyways. Who touches ady like that out of the blue? Maybe it''s just my gut feeling, but he was up to no good." "Careful, he''s still a teacher," Baek Ji-ah reprimanded her with a soft voice. "One teacher can''t keep himself in check while the other one arriveste," Lee Dojin suddenlymented, "It looks like our education system has gone down the drains." Ji-ah stopped walking, she turned around with a stiff smile. "Now, I wonder who you might mean?" "I don''t think you do, Ji-ah Seungsengnim." He reiterated thest few words as if he meant it sarcastically. "You know, how can you expect me to sleep well after what you did to me yesterday?" Kim Jyejin''s ears perked up to the extremes, as she heard Ji-ah talk. A glint appeared in her irises. "Oho. Care to exin?" In the first ce, ever since the two of them left yesterday, she hadn''t seen them again. She was left in the dust with Heeson, waiting in the cold. One of the reasons she was here had been to find out what happened. "Uh. . ." She thought about everything that happened yesterday. From meeting the system, gaining supernatural powers, to finding peace with her past. It wasn''t something she could just say. "Maybe another time." She waved her hand. "It''s a bitplicated." "Complicated, huh? Interesting. So like a secret." Lee Dojin pped the back of her head. She uttered an ouch and fell forward. "Get that stuff out of your head. It''s not what you think it is." "Sure, sure." She rubbed the back of her head and sulked. "All these years I''ve been with you and now you leave me for someone else huh? I didn''t know you were such a bad boy, Dojin." ".. . it really isn''t like that," he muttered with a sigh. While the three of them held a lighthearted conversation, Oh Sanbaek stood in the far back quietly observing him. He stood with other guys, but it was still oddly quiet, almost eerie, as if they had something sinister nned. He licked his teeth, and lifted his fingers in a gun shape, pointing at Dojin. "You bastard. Today, you are going down." A silent cackle escaped his lips. Chapter 44: Exhibition Chapter 44: Exhibition "Wow, look at this," Ji-ah shouted in amazement. She pulled Lee Dojin''s arm and pointed at the Si Golden Crown encased in a disy case. The crown sparkled under the dim light and appeared almost like melted sugar dripping down. "I heard that the owner of that crown may actually have been a woman. Fascinating stuff." "Miss, I will have to ask you not to shout," a nearby curator said. She had a polite smile but was firm. "You''ll disturb the other guests." Ji-ah lowered her head in embarrassment. "I''m sorry." Kim Jyejin giggled, seeing that teacher act this way. "Seungsengnim, I didn''t know you were into history." Ji-ah''s eyes fluttered lightly as if she had been caught. "I guess so. But I wasn''t really good at it in school." She returned her attention to the crown again. "It''s just interesting to see all these old people and feel the time in it. I don''t know. It''s sometimes hard to fathom that people who have held enough prestige to be in the history books, would one day die too, just like us." She held her mouth, realizing her words may not be for the right asion. "Oh, sorry, I didn''t mean to ruin the mood." Dong Jowoon, who had been following quietly, quickly said, "Not at all, that was very profound." After entering the museum and getting a general rundown on what to expect from a museum worker, the students were left to their own devices. They quickly formed groups and went on to do their own research. They had gotten their individual tasks, and as long as they had it finished by the end, it didn''t matter what they did. Jyejin and Dodjin hadn''t received any, as they weren''t part of the ss, so they stuck with the teachers, Ji-ah and Jowoon. For the most part, they were just here to enjoy the stay. For Lee Dojin, this experience was a lot more different than the others. In his old life, he never had the chance to visit a museum and enjoy its exhibitions. Naturally, that did not change with the appearance of The Mirage. However, seldom at times, he''d think back about these little thingsthose relics of the past, like cinemas, libraries, and moreand feel a sense of odd mncholy, even though he himself had never been there. Though that, he supposed, was all in the past now. Their group was mostly guided by the ecstatic Ji-ah. Maybe it was too early to say, but she looked a lot happier now. And the stubborn edge she carried around her was slowly but surely rounding off, and so did her future of bing The Mother of Ravens. It was as if she wasn''t in a rush anymore. It wasn''t only Dojin that realized so. Kim Jyejin had noticed it too, and maybe so did Dong Jowoon, though all he could feel was his infatuation mysteriously rising. "Actually, I know a little about the history presented here," Jowoon said. Ji-ah turned around, with a hint of surprise, and asked, "Really?" He nodded, proud. "Just ask me anything, I''m sure I can answer." Truthfully speaking, he only knew about that stuff because he had studied the night before; A rather admirable feat, if not for his ulterior motives. "Let''s go to the second floor, I know a lot of stuff there." He grabbed Ji-ah''s hand and guided her to the stairs. Thetter''s face scrunched up, but she did not resist for now. "See, this drawing was created by Danwon. He was known for his expressive yet gentle brushstrokes. He worked alongside with even the king, serving as his eyes to the truth. This image for example was of the daily life ofmoners. It''s hard to say what exactly he wanted to portray, but one can''t deny that his legacy lives on." "Well, it''s probably because he was bored," Kim Jyejin chimed in, "Seeing everything from high above can get a little dull over time, so taking the perspective of those ''below'', can pass as a good pastime, at the very least." She spoke as if she knew from experience. "Well, there''s not a lot known about him, so his life is shrouded in mystery," Joowon said. "But I think it was mostly because the King has ordered him to do so." "Wow you really do know a lot," Ji-ah said, now really surprised. She thought he was only bluffing in the beginning, but maybe she had to review her perception of him now. Jyejin looked at the paintings. They were a set of 25, depicting farmers and othermoners, doing various tasks like fishing and tilling during the Joseon period. She did not understand the painter''s sentiment, as the Zeitgeist was long lost for her, but she still could feel the vividness of old lives in the past. Arriving at the end, she noticed a small metal que describing the exhibition. "It says that Danwon was his pen-name, Seungsengnim. Do you know what his real name was?" "Well.. ." He scratched his head. There was a short pause, as he faced Ji-ah, who was expectantly looking at him until he muttered. "It''s not really well-known, so I doubt there''s even anyone here that could tell you that." Ji-ah''s shoulders slumped down, but before she had time to be disappointed, Lee Dojin spoke. "Kim Hongdo. His name was Kim Hongdo." Kim Jyejin''s eyes glittered. A sly grin crept up her face as she eyed Dong Jowoon. "As expected of a Schrship student," the teacher said and cleared his throat. "I didn''t know that. But are you sure that is correct?" "Pretty sure," he replied, steadfast. His eyes remained glued on the paintings. He wanted to stretch his hands out and touch it, but there was no way the strict curator would allow that. Ji-ah turned quiet and observed Lee Dojin. She felt something was amiss, but could not pinpoint it. Had it something to do with the system? The same went for Kim Jyejin, though she had used a vastly different reasoning to reach the same conclusion. "Well, moving on," Dong Jowoon said, not feeling the atmosphere. "It is said that his life, in the beginning, was where he peaked. He studied under a renowned master painter, then did many differentmissions for the royal pce, but there was not much going on for him afterward. Even his death is unclear, as it was said he died alone and in poverty. It was probably because he had lost his prestige as a painter, something that happens a lot with these people." "That is not true," Lee Dojin interjected again, much to the teacher''s chagrin. "To us, maybe, Kim Hongdo is but a speck in the ocean of great artists, like DaVinci, Picasso, or M, but no one has ever done what he had, that is, capturing the elegance of themoners. Creating pain, that is easy, but the beauty of simplicity, that''s what makes it breathtaking. To see that even the most normal people had unique ways of living, dreams, and hopes. Maybe that was what Kim Hongdo himself represented." He faced Dong Jowoon with an apologetic smile. "Sorry for interrupting you, but I can''t just let you speak ill of the dead, I hope you understand." Lee Dojin was not someone to appreciate art. If he was given any other painter, he would not have been able to say anything. But Danwon was different. It was because he knew them personally. Heughed. The reason for Kim Hongdo''s death was a lot more exotic than Dong Jowoon was led to believe. The truth was, Hongdo had been a woman. Though she had hidden that fact as her work was only limited to males. She had many different quirks not depicted in the history books, which would take a day to recite. However, he remembered her as a strong woman, one of character, and a bit tomboyish, but incredibly willful. Personally, he thought she was better suited as a pirate than a painter. It was when the system had brought back old and forgotten legacies, effectively reviving old historical figures that he had gotten to learn more about them, even fighting against or alongside them. The system was the apocalypse of this world, that cannot be denied, yet it was also true that he had to learn how to survive and thrive within itand it wasn''t all bad. A small flicker of emotion welled up inside him, and he scrunched his eyes. "I wonder if they are well," he muttered for no one to hear, then shook his head, his eyes turning sharp and beast-like again. ... Ah Yeurong held her mouth. Nausea hit her again. She knew it was the wrong decisioning to this exhibition. But if she skipped any longer, her parents would get suspicious. She tried writing down stuff on the paper, but nothing stuck. "Are you alright," her friends asked her, worried. She was thankful but really did not wish to talk right now. "It''s fine, it''s fine. Just let me take a break." "If you need any help, maybe we should call Baek Seungsengnim?" Ah Yeurong waved her hand. "No, I''m serious, do not. It''s just the time of the month. I can handle it." "Okay, let''s take a break then." Chapter 45: Apology Chapter 45: Apology Lee Dojin and the group arrived on thest floor. Dong Jowoon hadn''t said anything on the way. Maybe he was embarrassed being corrected by a student, but it did help that they were generally quiet, so the curator did note to reprimand them. In the first ce, this floor was mostly reserved for paintings, and they are most often enjoyed in silence, where thoughts could form the best. Passing by thest painting, they met with another group. Maybe it was out of sheer coincidence, or maybe someone greater had everything nned, but this would be, Lee Dojin supposed, the catalyst to today''s story, ultimately ending with someone''s death. Oh Sanbaek stood in the middle, chatting with the other students when his eyes fell on Lee Dojin. For some reason, he did not hide or run away. Instead, he simply smiled. Not only Dojin, but even Jyejin was also confused. She had never seen him react like that. For a second, she thought her eyes were ying tricks on her, and maybe this wasn''t the guy who had made Lee Dojin''s life hell for the past few years. But then again, she would never forget such a vile human''s face. Her eyebrows tightened from cold anger, but she did not let it out, as there were two teachers next to her. Oh Sanbaek jogged towards the group. He still held an innocent smile, as if they were sharing an amusing secret. "Yo, Dojin, you guys are done too," he asked then gave the teachers a light bow. "What a coincidence so were we." "Is there any reason for you to be here," Jyejin asked with a calm but firm voice. "I''m part of this excursion too, you know? Isn''t it natural for me to wait for the teachers?" "It would be natural for you to fuck off." "Hey now." Oh Sanbaek raised his hands. "Aren''t we all part of the same school? Why are you so stand-offish." Dong Jowoon immediately backed him up, none the wiser. "He is correct. You are all the same age, so why don''t you y well? Let''s try to all get along, okay?" "As if," Kim Jyejin said, feeling her fuse quickly running short. "I''d rather die than be associated with him. Actually, why not. Let''s talk this out. Do you know what this guy has done? He" Her words trailed off as she felt Lee Dojin''s hand on her shoulder. He shook his head, telling her to calm downand so she did, but on her own terms. "Jyejin, you are out of line," Dong Jowoon shouted, though he quickly got chastised by a nearby museum staff member. He continued, more silent, "Our school represents harmony and elegance, your behavior leaves a stain on our school''s reputation." "Oh, so my behavior is bad huh?" She asked sarcastically, cing emphasis on the ''my''. "Fine, I don''t care." Baek Ji-ah did not really understand why Jyejin suddenly turned hysterical, but she was a lot more sensible to not censure her. "Jyejin, is something wrong?" "Actually," Sanbaek chimed in, "Maybe it''s better for me to exin." He turned to Dojin, then, to everyone''s surprise, bowed down. "But first of all, I''m sorry." There was some expectation for him to straighten up and exin, but he never did. For the most part, Lee Dojin was simply confused. "For what?" "Well, I''ve been thinking, and I realized that I may have not been on my best behavior thest few years. The way I treated you was inexcusable," Sanbaek said, mincing over his words. Evidently, he had found it hard to express himself. "I''ve had time to reflect after being unable to attend sses. So, uh, all I can say is that I deeply apologize for the actions in my past." Lee Dojin and the group looked at the boy in a cast in confusion. Though they all had different reasons for such a reaction. From everyone present, ironically, Lee Dojin probably cared the least. "Sure, whatever," he brushed him off by shrugging his shoulders. Oh Sanbaek felt a vein pop on his forehead, but he immediately retracted any ill-will. "So does that mean there is no bad blood between us?" "You can shove your apology into your ass," Kim Jyejin spoke, no she hissed, "What''s this, all these years you''ve been a living hell, and now you think these things don''t matter after some quick words of friendship. Is this a redemption arc or something. You aren''t like Kim Heeson who can feel deep remorse for his actions, and even if, the bridge has long been burned." "Kim Jyejin," Sanbaek muttered with a weak voice. He appeared to shrink back, though his actual thoughts were an enigma. Dong Joowon stepped forward, as he predictably did. "Jyejin, you shouldn''t speak to a ssmate like that," he said. "The boy hase earnestly to bow his head and ask for forgiveness. I''m unsure of what your little squabble is about and who is wrong or right, but I understand how you feel" "Oh, can you?" The girl was quick to shoot back. During these times, it was easy to tell she wasn''t the silent princess everyone made her out to be. "Can you imagine how it feels to be mocked, ridiculed, and humiliated every day? To have no friends because some fucker decided that you had to be the clown? To be scared every time you walk on school grounds? To feel dread and anger 8 hours a day, with no one to lean to? Can you?" The teacher was left speechless by Jyejin''s rapid questions. His face slowly turned red, as he switched from confusion to embarrassment to anger. "You''ve gone officially too far with this! I''ll have a word with your homeroom teacher about it, and send an official notice to your parents. I don''t care what your story is; disrespecting a teacher is disallowed." "Bah, see if I care." She stuck her tongue out in defiance. "You adults are all the same. Justice is blind because it doesn''t give a shit." Oh Sanbaek, seeing the happenings, began to secretly snicker. But he promptly swallowed it down as he saw Lee Dojin''s sight upon him. His face quickly turned blue. "So, are we cool?" Dojin did not answer. He only let out dryughter, before walking away. ... "Need help standing?" Ah Yeurong looked up. She did not recognize the face. It was a boy, her age, with long ck hair and a square face. He didn''t give the impression f someone worth remembering. "No." "Wait, I think you are misunderstanding something," the boy said. "We go to the same school. I''m not just some creep." "Oh, my bad. There are quite a lot of people not part of my ss here today. I didn''t have time to remember them all." And she had other things to worry about. "No, it''s fine I get it." The boyughed. "Well, I see you are alone, and you don''t look so great, so do you want me to bring you to the teacher?" "Actually I''m with friends. They are watching over me," she said, but as she turned around, they were nowhere to be seen. Ah Yeurong sighed. "Fine let''s go." And so they did. But not for long. Passing a few artworks, the boy brought her to a group of people she had never seen. Well, except for Il Chunghoo, and some of his friends in his ss, but they never associated as she thought them as no-good. Some other people, she supposed, she had seen at school grounds. A feeling of unrest welled up inside her, but sheughed it away. They were all students. What''s the worst that could happen? That question was answered fast. "Hey, where are we going?" She asked as they headed in a different direction than the meeting point. She was quite sure as she had mapped the route in her head, gearing she may get ill and had to bounce. "That''s not where we are supposed to meet." "We aren''t going there," Il Chunghoo said. The whole group did not react, as if they were in tacit agreement. They passed a room without any exhibitions. It was quiet here, with no curator or museum specialist. "The hell?" She chuckled. "Then where?" "Sivi High, have you heard of that ce?" "Never. Why would I want to go there?" Il Chungoo clicked his tongue. "Why are you asking so many questions? Just follow us." "Alright this is too weird for me," she said and stopped walking. "I changed my mind, I''ll go the long route. You guys have fun with whatever you are doing." She was about to turn around but a guy grabbed her wrist. Her face sank. "What are you doing?" "Why don''t you just follow for now?" "Piss off," she said and yanked her hand away. But two more boys grabbed her shoulders. "What the hell? This is seriously creepy. Il Chunghoo, is this some kind of sick joke?" But no one showed any reaction. Soon, irrational panic grew within her, and she thrashed around, trying to free herself. The guys quickly held her mouth to prevent her screams from leaking. She bit the hand from one of them. "Ouch!" "Hold that bitch down, and stop her from squirming!" "Why''s she so strong, her nails hurt like hell." A small scuffle started breaking out, generating more noise. "Good thing my father taught me self-defense, you pieces of shits." In the end, Il Chunghoo stepped forward. He looked at the glowering Ah Yeurong and punched her in the face. Her head flung back, and she fell to the ground. The room returned to silence. Ah Yeurong remained on the ground. After a few seconds, she lifted her head, her eyes had be as dark as the night. Blood spurted from her lips, but she showed no signs of pain, "What the fuck are you doing?" She said in a calm but cold voice. Il Chunghoo grinned. He grabbed her head and said, "I guess you could call it a kidnapping." Chapter 46: Signed, Lee Dojin Chapter 46: Signed, Lee Dojin Seoul was, in general, a very peaceful city. But that didn''t mean it was without crime. And with crime, there always came gangs, though here, they were of great rarity. The Pyeongwon Gang was one of them. Ah Yeurongs father, incidentally, was their bookkeeperthough he had told his family his upation was an ountant. The mother did not care to question it, as long as the money kepting in, while his daughter was still too young to care for such things. Did he have regrets about his career choice? Certainly. There wasn''t anyone here who did not question their life once or twice upon entering this dangerous upation, lest they were a psychopath, but it did have undeniable benefits. Hell, in the first ce, the most dangerous part was not dying in the line of action, but rather being busted by something benign. The worst thing he had ever done was take a dump on Park Wonhe''s Porsche. All in all, he was a rather harmless guy, though he did imagine if the police ever came crashing by, scouring through all the evidence, he''d not leave without a fight. "Well, whatever supports the family, I guess," he muttered to himself and clicked through the files on hisputer with a weary look. The spacebar had stopped working again, an omen for a terrible day, he thought. He was currently sitting in his office. One of the perks of working for shady businesses was the privileges. He knew he wasn''t good enough to have his own space, but the gang needed him, and generally, he was treated well. On his desk, a fan kept buzzing, throwing wind at him. He wasn''t particrly warm, but the electric noise helped him concentrate and work harder. He believed it had something to do with alpha waves, a frequency that tapped into his brain and vibrated just the right synapses to create a certain type of harmony that made him twice as sharp. A knock cleared his mind. It was definitely a woman, The boys here weren''t polite enough to give him a warning before barging in. The door opened, he was right. It was an olderdy, out of shape and with heavy make-up. She was on the smaller side, but her face was fierce enough for none to disrespect her. There weren''t many women in this gang, obviously, but those who were, were most often scarier than the men. "Ah Chul, someone has delivered a message to you," the woman said. She had a rough voice. He nodded lightly, thinking nothing more of it. "Just forward it to meter on. I''ll take a look." "No." Thedy shook her head. And waved a white envelope in her hand. "It''s a message," she repeated, but this time putting emphasis on the word. "You know what that means right?" Ah Chul stopped typing, realizing the severity of her words. He closed this fan off, the buzzing disappearing. "Give it to me," he said, not realizing his brows had furrowed. Thedyplied and right after left him to his own devices. "Well then, if you need anything, you know who to find." She closed the door behind her. At times like these, it was best to leave the person alone. Ah Chulughed dryly. There was only one meaning behind getting a message. If it was something nice, they would have called. He ripped the envelope open: ''We have kidnapped your daughter, Ah Yeurong. Close your business around Haewon street and pull your goons back, or she dies. Have a nice day.'' "You motherfucker," he shouted out loud. He waspletely enraged now. But his eyes weren''t seeing red. He had to confirm something first. The man took out his phone, immediately dialing the number of his daughter. He had made it imperative to his family that they should always answer their phone. Naturally, that did not always work, but his constant nagging made them pick nine times out of ten. And as far as he knew, Ah Yeurong was on an excursion. There should be plenty of time to write him a message at least. However, after a few beeps, he received a response he had never gotten before. "The connection be established. The number may not exist or the owner has shut their phone. Please try againter." Ah Chul mmed his hand on the table. This wasn''t a drill. This had never happened before. Something was seriously wrong. "Fuck! Fuck!" He shouted out but it did not vent his wrath. he tried breathing in and out, calming down. Anger would only cloud his mind. For now, his daughter had to be okay. She had to be. he looked at the letter again and realized there was something written below. "Signed, Lee Dojin." A burst of roughughter escaped him. What kind of idiot would sign with his own name? Was it a trap or a Red Herring? He gnashed his teeth. It didn''t matter. All he could saw was the single lead given. He''d be a fool not to take it. He took his phone again. With his connections, it should not be hard to find this person. The letter crumbled in his hands. "I knew it. A terrible day." ... Completing the excursion, the students left the museum one by one. They handed in their assignment and were allowed home. Though Dong Jowoon had told them to return home promptly, the students gathered with their friends and already made ns to go eat or see a movie. He wanted to chastise them but was stopped by Ji-ah, who told him to rx. Dong Jowoon read her the riot act, but by then, the students had already left. Oh Sanbaek had excused himself quite a while ago. In the end, he really came to apologize, without raising a fuss. Kim Jyejin felt he was full of shit, yet he proved her wrong by simply leaving. Time passed, and almost all of them had left. Lee Dojin remained as he was waiting for Ji-ah, while Jyejin had nothing to do anyway, so the both of them remained. Two girls came out. They had a confused look, mixed with worry. "Uhm Seungsengnim," the addressed Ji-ah, "have you perhaps seen Ah Yeurong? We couldn''t find her anywhere." Ji-ah looked at her attendance sheet. "No, she hasn''t. Why? Was she not with you?" As far as she knew, the tree of them were always together. "Well," one of the girls muttered. "She had been, but after some time, we lost her. We looked for a while, but she was nowhere to be found. Do you think maybe we should do something?" "It''s going to be fine, it''s just an excursion, and this is Seoul." She smiled lightly. "There are some others who haven''t arrived yet, so it''s not strange. Rx." The two girls were skeptical, but stayed silent, as what Ji-ah said did make sense. They all waited together, but after almost an hour passed, no one came out. The sun had begun its descent, and it slowly got darker. The museum itself was about to close. Baek Ji-ah kept her eyes glued to the door. Every time someone walked through, and it was not her student, her heart beat a tad bit faster. Maybe it was because of the girls, but she had be nervous too. No, no, that couldn''t be. Why would anything bad happen today? "What''s wrong with these kids," Dong Jowoonined. "They probably just skipped because they were bored. Kids these days know nothing about responsibility." "Yeurong isn''t like that!" The girl turned angry. "Her father is really strict, she would never do something like skipping school. She doesn''t even shut her phone, because her father would scold her. That''s why we are worried because she did not pick up or reply to my messages." "Fine, I didn''t mean it like that." Meanwhile, Lee Dojin had squatted down and kept his sight on the street. There wasn''t a reason to do so, but his eyes had been on a ck van for a while. The windows were blocked out, and it scoured the ce, though he could not tell why. After a few more rounds, it came to a stop. He opened his mouth. "Guys, we may have to leave." Before anyone could react, a few men in ck suits stepped out. At the front, an old man with a scar across his face approached them with a smile. The quicker ones realized that they were the guys who had made a scene in front of the gate the other day. "Would you look at that? I thought you were sketchy but didn''t realize you were a piece of shit," the old man said. He nced at Ji-ah. "I suppose you can call it a reunion." Lee Dojin returned his nce. "You need anything?" "Step into the car," he said sharply. "Boss''s orders." "I don''t want to." "I did not ask." He smiled. The surrounding people were dumbfounded by what was happening. Jyejin walked forward, and asked, "Hey, what''s going on?" She stretched her hand out, but the old man shoved her away. "Kyah!" "Get lost," he told her with a rough voice. The men behind him came forward. "This has nothing to do with you." "Jeyjin!" Ji-ah shouted and grabbed the girl''s shoulders. "Are you okay?" She did not reply. Instead, she hissed at the old man, "Who the hell do you think you are?" "It doesn''t matter who I am." The old man looked at Lee Dojin. He grinned, but it did not reach his eyes. "What matters is who you are. I''ll be frank. Did you kidnap ady named Ah Yeurong." "Are you braindead?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it was worth a try." One of Ah Yeurongs friends stepped forward. "Did something happen to Yeurong?" The man waved his hand. The suited men surrounded Lee Dojin. Ji-ah was about to step forward, but was stopoed by the pale Jowoon. The man nodded. "Well, let''s talk more in the car. Time''s of the essence so let''s go okay?" He turned around, expecting him to go. "I won''t go, and I didn''t kidnap the girl." Lee Dojin replied. "Look, I don''t really want any trouble, and you clearly are in a rush, why don''t you just leave?" ".. . I don''t think you understand your situation, brat." His voice fell, turning incredibly low. he squatted down to be at the same eye-level as him. "You think you are hot shit, huh? That''s the thing with you kids. For you, the school is your whole world. You know nothing of what''s outside, and you feel like you can be anything. I''ll say it onest time. Step. In. The. Car." "Then listen well. I don''t know that bitch. " Lee Dojin''s face turned dark, his eyes sharp. "Piss off." His sharp fangs showed as he said so. The man turned silent. "Young-Soo. Rough him up a little, alright?" "On it, sir." The big guy stepped forward. He didn''t show any reaction, only throwing his fist down, hitting Dojin straight in the face. A loud, dull sound resounded. Jyejin eyes opened wide, as she felt her strength escape. The old man smiled. "Ah, fuck," Dojin muttered calmly, shocking the men in ck. Especially the guy hitting him. He was sure he had used his full power. Lee Dojin continued talking, blood dripping from his forehead. But he showed no reaction. "Fine, let''s say I did." Lee Dojin grabbed the man''s wrist. Heughed loudly. His expression was always the liveliest when he was about to fight. His grip tightened, and the man''s wrist started cracking. The guy screamed, trying to retract his hand, but could not budge. "What are you going to do about it?" Chapter 47: Truly Free Chapter 47: Truly Free Kim Heeson knocked on the door numbered 204. The person inside told him toe in. Upon entering, he saw the cold hospital room, all white and sterile. The smell of disinfectant lingered in the air, while the rustling of old apparitions enveloped the room. His friend, Park Wonho stood in front of the window, gazing at the many people walking through the hall. Unlike Ji-ah, he wasn''t on the first floor. "I didn''t bring you any flowers, hope you don''t mind," Heeson said and closed the door behind him. "Oh shut up." He turned around, his face full of bandages and closed wounds. Butpared to what Lee Dojin had done to him, he looked miraculously well. Kim Heesonughed dryly. "You really do heal fast. You beast." "Well, I should have at least one thing that''s going for me, don''t ya think?" Park Wonho sighed. "It won''t take long anymore, I might be able to leave here soon." Kim Heeson took a seat. It wasn''t the first time he had visited him, so he had gotten quitefortable. "That''s good. This ce doesn''t really offer the homely spirit." The chair creaked as he leaned back. "You ate already?" Park Wonho shook his head. He pointed at his teeth, two in the front had been reced with silver. "They inserted these things into me yesterday. You should have seen my face, I looked like a balloon. It''s good now, but they told me I should not eat anything but soup for 3 days." Kim Heeson mouth opened wide and heughed out again. "Woah, you look like a real hoodlum now." Though it was a new sight, it fit him. "Well, knowing you, it will take 1 day at most." "I guess so," he muttered half-heartedly and faced the window again. He didn''t continue talking. Kim Heeson watched him silently. Park Wonho''s back, which looked so gigantic before, had shrunk to such a miserable sight. The temperature of the room seemed to have sunk. He clicked his tongue. That wasn''t the friend he knew and respected. "I''ve heard. Dojin came to visit you, but you didn''t let him in." The friend he knew was not this weak. Park Wonho''s shoulders twitched for a second. "I guess." "I guess? The hell does that mean?" Kim Heeson stood up. He shoved the chair away. He never was able to control his anger, and it surged just as fast today too. "In the past, you''d have answered straightforwardly. Isn''t that what you told me? To charge at whatever ising at you? So, did you reject Dojin from entering? Yes or no?" Park Wonho kept his back on him. He leaned on the rim of the window. "Yes," he answered. "Yes, I did." "I fucking knew it," he spat out. "Unbelievable." Kim Heeson walked forward. "The fuck happened man? You got your ass whipped so hard, your personality changed? You used to dog on him so much, and now that he bit back you can''t take a single hit?" His words grew louder. He didn''t know why. Maybe he was just tired, seeing his mother, his sister, and now his friends, mulling over their thoughts without telling him anything. "I didn''t know you were such a weakling, brother." "That''s not it," Park Wonho answered. He was, on the other hand, calm. "It was a wake-up call, you know? I don''t care how much I fall. You know that well. That''s just who we are, that''s why we became friends." His fist tightened around the window frame; it started to crack. "Us and the boys, we always told the world to piss off. But there''s only so much we can do without the support of society. I''ll go meet with Dojin, and I''ll apologize to him." "This is bullshit." Heeson closed his eyes, forming wrinkles on his nose and forehead. He grit his teeth. "You don''t believe that yourself right? Tell me you don''t believe that. Tell me you haven''t said the same condescending words the teachers and adults would use on usthe ones we loathed the most. Tell me!" He grabbed Park Wonho''s shoulder. "Why won''t you look at me!" He yanked Park Wonho from the window. Wonho face flew back, facing Kim Heeson, revealing his expression full of pain. His eyebrows were arched and his eyes squinted until only his irises could be seen. His lips were stretched horizontally. Kim Heeson slowly let go, his arm falling down. "Don''t you realize," Wonho said, "Heeson. We are weak. We can''t do anything other than fight. When you have no money, are you going to fight? When you enter prison, are you going to fight? On an empty stomach, with no loved ones, with no shelter? Fight until you die?" He shook his head. "I realized it when Lee Dojin hit me, his fist held no shackles. At that point, I knew what true strength was. That''s not something a human can achieve. It''s time to give up." Kim Heeson felt something in his mind snap. Without any words, he threw out a punch, hitting Wonho straight in the face. The guy fell to the side, crashing into the bed. The bandages on his face turned red. Heeson held his fist. It shook a little, sure to leave blisters. "Even when I hit you, the one who gets damaged is me." Park Wonho kept his head low, saying nothing. Kim Heeson approached him, squatting down. He said with a low voice, "You know, I''ve be friends with Dojin." Wonho lifted his head, surprised. "So you know what I am talking about." "Yes, I do. But you are wrong," he said. "Lee Dojin, he.. . he has a lot of shackles, much more than we could fathom. I don''t know why, but I see it in his eyes. The endless pressure on his shoulder, one iparable to any other. At times, I''d shudder, wondering where his burdensy." "But, that''s impossible," Wonho muttered. He was sure of his assessment. Confusion came to him. "You don''t get it, do you? Yes, Lee Dojin is strong. Stronger than anyone we have ever met. He could probably kill me with one hand." Heeson held his own neck. "But that''s not what makes him special." He paused. "I think what draws people to him is because he is free." Heeson paused again. The words were hard to form, as he had so much to say. "Not freedom without responsibilities, but freedom despite them. You''d know if you saw him. His carefree attitude, his eyes of desire, his thirst for liberation, and of course, his unwavering conviction. You can''t help trusting him to lead you. I saw it all, you know?" An involuntary smile appeared on his face. Park Wonho lifted his head, his eyes opened wide and his mouth didn''t seem to close. The light outside the hall shone upon him. "Then, are you saying..." "You see it now too, don''t you? Dojin, he has aplished what we only dreamed of." Kim Heeson stood up. "Within this passionless society that is slowly falling apart, he has found a way out. He has forged his own path, one unlike any other. In this world, Lee Dojin is the only one truly free." ... The old man with the scar on his face was currently running away. Unlike before, he did not have a confident face anymore. "What the fuck Ah Chul!" He grit his teeth. That damn bookkeeper of his. "You said he was some ordinary fighter. This dude isn''t human. I ain''t get paid enough for this shit!" He looked at another guy running away. "Quick, call Dong Kanwaek! He''s the only one who can do something against this monster!" It all happened in an instant. Their biggest guy, Young-Soo was caught by the wrist. Thinking back, he should have grown suspicious then, but at that time, all he could do wasugh. They even told him not to hold back. It was when he heard a crunch, did he realize something was wrong. The sound, he knew well. It was a bone breaking. Right after, his sweat flowed backward. "Where are you going? Not taking me to the car anymore?" Lee Dojin arrived right next to the man. He didn''t teleport. He was just naturally faster. He sent out a kick. "Guh!" The man blocked it but still felt immense pain. His arms were definitely broken. If that thing hit his head, he''d probably meet God. Lee Dojinnded on the ground. "Ah sorry, holding back isn''t my strong suit." The old man slid back a few meters,ing only to a stop because there was a wall behind him. His hair was disheveled and his face haggard. Butpared to his goons, he was a lot better off. As soon as they realized what was going on, they prepared for battlebut how could a human resist a typhoon? It was as if he had eyes on the back, and twice as many limbs. One by one, they went down, one shot one kill. They didn''t really die, but these wounds would linger long enough for them to stay out of many battles. A few people arrived at the car. "Get eh key, get the key!" They smiled, hoping they could run away. But their hopes were dashed as a small beam of light came crashing down, blowing the trunk away. The goons did not realize, hearing only an explosion. "What the hell!" "Dude, what was that? Lightning?" "As if! The clouds are clear!" Lee Dojin looked at Ji-ah, who innocently stuck her tongue out. "That was unnecessary," he said. But then again, it did not matter, even if someone found out. The is was thest normal day for the world anyway. He looked at the old man, whom he held up by the cor. "So,st words?" The old man shuddered as he saw Lee Dojin''s beastly smile. "You''ll, cough, you''ll regret this. I''ve already called our strongest man. He''s a monster like you, but to top it off, he holds way more experience." The man pushed these words out with great exhaustion. "He is not a pushover." Lee Dojin tilted his head, cracking his neck. His smile remained carefree. "Oh, I can''t wait." "If you go any farther than this, he won''t show you any mercy." "You know, how was the saying again?" He punched the old man''s stomach who almost puked. An immensely cold voice resounded. "Don''t threaten me with a good time." Lights out. Chapter 48: Do Jiwoon Chapter 48: Do Jiwoon Dong Kwantaek arrived a littleter. He wasn''t anywhere close by as he hadn''t heard of this operation in the first ce. But that was understandable. It wasn''t meant to be anything big. Yet, he had gotten such a hurried call that he could not help feel nervous. Upon leaving his car, he quickly understood what the urgency was about. Hsi friends and colleagues, the men in ck, were scattered around the block, half-conscious. Those who remained awake had faces full of fear. This ce looked like a demon had ravaged it. What exactly urred? His face turned serious. A few people took photos. Normally, he''d have stopped them, but he could only think about confirming the situation. He continued walking. A vague shadow appearing at the front of the museum. He sat on the floor, with the gangster surrounding him, butying on the ground. For some reason, may it be instinct or experience, he was sure this was the perpetrator. His heart started beating faster until it culminated upon seeing the person''s face. "Would you look at that? The world is really small," Lee Dojin said and waved. "It''s you." Dong Kwantaek felt his face go livid. His eyes opened wide. It was him. He stepped a few steps back. There was no way he would not recognize him. Why was this guy here? The old man did not realize Kwantaeks reaction, and he did not care to find out. He only saw the savior that would pull him out of this misery. "It''s you right?" Lee Dojin, like a little child, got excited. "You remember, we met in the mall. The ce with the clothes. Remember me?" "I do," he said with a low voice. How could he forget? His jaw still hurt thinking back to what happened that day. "Hyung-nim, it''s him! He''s the one that made this mess!" shouted the old man, leaving Dong Kwantaek in a very awkward position. "Yes,e on, let''s go," Lee Dojin followed. "It might kill some boredom. Who knows, you may even serve as a warm-up. I''m sure it will be fun." Dong Kwantaeks eyes twitched, seeing that boy''s eagerness to brawl. There was no way in hell that he''d enter a fight with him again. He wasn''t tired of life. The man was sure of one thing: If the two of them fought a hundred times, he''d lose about ny-nine of them. And judging from the people around him, he would not be as lenient this time. ".. . I''ll pass," he muttered. "I like being able to breathe." The old man''s face broke down in confusion. "Hyung-nim?" He didn''t know what to say. His only lifeline had vanished just like that. Kwantaek rubbed his eyes. He sighed and knelt down to be on the same eye-level as the old man. "Well, first of all, why don''t you exin the situation." The man nodded vigorously. He exined, just like Dong Kwantaek wanted, starting from the letter Ah Chul received about the kidnapping, to scouring through every nook and cranny trying to find Lee Dojin.No one really believed it was him who did it, but their boss had said to bring him there, for further questioning, so he was only following orders. He did so with great urgency, though it was unknown whether it was to help Yeurong or himself, and thus spilled the beans with Lee Dojin and the others listening right beside them. Ah Yeurongs friends held their mouth, upon finding out her real identity. At first, they were shocked, but then they started to cry, knowing the danger she was in. "I see. That''s not good." "So, uh, Hyung-nim," he nced at Lee Dojin. "Are you going to help me?" "Help you? Are you crazy?" Dong Kwantaek scoffed. "I''ll tell you what. If you don''t scram in 10 seconds, I''ll break your legs." "Wait are you serious?" His mouth stood agape. This went the opposite direction of what he expected. Dong Kwantaek shook his head. "I am. That dude is stronger than me. No, of course. Do I look like I''m joking?" He clicked his tongue. "It''s a tested theory." "Oh, you tter me," Lee Dojin said andughed. He then turned serious. "Though who said they could go?" The people surrounding him shuddered from his cold voice. "I''m joking. Go take a rest, tomorrow''s gonna be a hard day for all of you. All of humanity, to be exact." The old man gulped. That was all he had to hear. Without any words, he quickly (or as quickly as his wounded body allowed him) gathered the other members of the gang and left. They couldn''t take the car anymore, but they didn''t care, as the breath of the beast silently watching over them pressed on their necks, making it hard to breathe. With theirst hope dashed, they only hoped to disappear. Dong Kwantaek sighed. He was unsure of how to handle this. But then again, what was he supposed to do? The young boy in front of him was like an insurmountable wall, unable to be crossed. It wasn''t like he resided in the US where he could simply shoot the guy. Realizing how distant they were to each other, Kwantaeks turmoil diminished rapidly. "Dojin, are you alright," Ji-ah said after the action died down. It was a question, but she already knew the answer and wasn''t worried. Still, she had a reputation to uphold. "That was a little reckless of you." The other teacher, Jowoon, snapped out of his trance, and he quickly reprimanded Lee Dojin. "That''s right! What were you thinking! Getting into a brawl during schooltime? Wait until we return. . ." His words slowly slid off, as he saw Dojin''s cold stare. "Ahem. We''ll talk about thister." Kim Jyejin, in the meanwhile, stood with her mouth agape. Her eyes also widened considerably. It didn''t look like that, but her mind was in jambles. Naturally, she too had witnessed Lee Dojin fight. She understood he had changedbut that was too much. From all the people here, she knew Dojin the best. Her eyes fell on him. She didn''t find the right words to say. her lips quivered. For a second, she only saw a stranger. This was not the boy she knew. One of Yeurongs friends approached Kwantaek. With a low voice, she asked, "Uhm, do you know what happened to Yeurong." He had taken out a smoke. Taking a puff, he thought to himself. "No clue. I know as much as you do. To be honest, I just got the news myself." Smoke escaped his lips. "Who''s asking." "A friend," the girl said. "Friend huh?" He smiled. "Well, I did hear her father wanted her to live a normal life, but seeing it like that is rather weird." Kwantaek scratched his head. "But guess there''s no use hiding it. There''s a high change, she got abducted." "But, that can''t be." The girl fell to her knees. Her worry was genuine. The other girl helped her up, though she was shaking herself. They were good friends. "Unfortunately, it''s hard to track them down. Our gang obviously has a lot of enemies. It could be anyone. All they left was a stupid message telling us to end business at some ce. But there are too manypetitors to know who it could be." He pursed his lips. "Don''t worry, we will find her." Lee Dojin chimed in. "What do I have to do with all this? As far as I know, I don''t have anything to do with you guys. You sure you weren''t looking for that idiot couple?" Dong Kwantaek smiled wryly. How was he supposed to answer that. "Uh. So, well. It was signed by you. Like, your name, on the letter." "The hell?" He tilted his head. "Say, even if I abducted her, why''d I leave my name?" "I know, I know. Still, if it were you, would you not take any lead there is to find the person important to you?" He clicked his tongue, taking a heavy puff of the smoke. "Clearly though, they had something against you, so there''s at least this clue." Kwantaek sighed, Though it cost a lot of men to find out. "Whoever it was must be a coward." Suddenly, something clicked in Jyejin''s mind. "Coward.. . that sounds like Oh Sanbaek," she blurted out without thinking. He had been on her nerves the whole day after his ''apology'', so it just popped into her mind again. Dong Kwantaek looked at her. "Wait, I actually heard that name before." His brain rattled until his eyes widened. "Oh, got it! He''s that one guy we''ve been looking for all the time! So you knew that guy? He''s got some dealings with that private highschool. If I remember correctly, they are a pain in the ass for a lot of gangs right now. What''s that ce called again?" "Sivi." With one revtion after another, it didn''t take long for Dojin to connect the dots. His expression turned unimaginably serious. A harsh smile crept up his face. He tried hiding it with his hand, but the bloodlust emitting from him could not be covered. A name kept ringing into his head. It all made sense. If it was that guy, it was possible. He had a knack for pulling countless strings and guiding them to his perverted liking. "Do Jiwoon." Chapter 49: The Boyfriend Tae Sukjin Chapter 49: The Boyfriend Tae Sukjin Dong Kwantaeks stopped smoking. "Don''t tell me," he asked, "You know that guy?" Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. The question was harder to answer than anyone would understand. "I wouldn''t say ''know'', but we do have ovepping interests. I doubt there''s anyone who truly knows him." "But this exins a lot," Kwantaek muttered. "That guy, he''s been a pain in the butt for a while now. But if it''s my decision, I wouldn''t touch him with a ten-meter pole." The man shuddered. It had to be terrifying thoughts to make a guy like him react in such a way. "I''ve seen him once, he, well how do I say it," he paused. "He''s on another level." Baek Ji-ah listened to their conversation. "I don''t know who that guy is, or who you are for that matter, but is it right to assume my student is in that Do Jiwoons hands?" A fiery ze lit up in her eyes. Ah Yeurongs friend asked Ji-ah, "Maybe we should call a teacher?" Dong Jowoon was quick to chime in. "No, not teachers! How do you think this will look when the media finds out one of our students got kidnapped during our supervision? God, calling a storm would be underwhelming. The police would seize or documents, the school would be suspended, our reputation ruined and worst case, I might lose my job." The girl was appalled. "Is that the only thing you think about?" She was disgusted by that teacher''s thought process. Is this how the adults dealt with stuff? She couldn''t believe it. "He''s right though," Kwantaek said. "No police. They''d just get in the way. Putting aside that they aren''t exactly on our side, these people are way too slow to make any changes." He nced at that male teacher. Although their conclusion was the same, he was still surprised to see him act that way. Stifledughter escaped him. It was just how he remembered the education system to be. Certainly, if school was of any use, he may not have followed this career path. Kim Jyejin realized that things were quickly getting out of hand. She looked at Dojin, many questions her mind, but in the end decided to ask, "Should we call Kim Taewon or Yoo Dahee?" "Hold up, what are you talking about, girl," Kwantaek chimed in. The fewer people who knew, the better. He couldn''t just let someone spread the message far and wide bout their blunder. In the first ce, he only told them because Lee Dojin seemed to demand it, otherwise, his lips would have remained shut. "Don''t worry," Dojin reassured him. He could somewhat tell the thoughts springing through his mind. "They are people who have some dealings with Do Jiwoon too. They know quite a lot, so they may actuallye to help you." "Still, I don''t really have a lot of control over that, it''s not my jurisdiction, you know?" He rubbed his head. He didn''t want this turning into a hassle. "And we know quite a lot about the group and Do Jiwoon already, so there''s no need for extra." Lee Dojin shook his head. "Then can you tell me why he chose to kidnap that girl?" Dong Kwantaek raised his eyebrows. "Isn''t that obvious?" He tilted his head. "To create discord between the gangs, so he could broaden his reach. He wanted us to rescind our people from Haewon street." Dojin lifted his finger. "That''s one reason. And from the looks of it, a rather shallow one, since he openly admitted to it." His brows furrowed. He thought back to the Jiwoon he knew. "The guy I know always has a n hidden within a n. You can never tell what that snake is thinking, as he hides his intentions within innumerable trapdoors." As far as he knew, there was little sense in doing what he was doing. The person he remembered was always quiet and hiding behind shadows. If he stepped out of the darkness, it could only mean something earth-shattering was going down. Certainly, this time too, he had something much more sinister nned. "That''s uh," Kwantaek stuttered. He did not know about this. And that boy didn''t seem to be lying. "I''m sure the people smarter than I have worked something out." "You don''t really believe that do you?" Lee Dojin closed his eyes. He wreaked his brain, trying to think about Jiwoon. In the past life, he hadn''t done something like that, so it was hard to understand what led him to this decision this time. He felt like a decisive key was missing. "Damn it," Dong Kwantaek took out his phone and clicked some buttons. Though before he could click the call button, Lee Dojin stopped him. "What''s wrong," he asked. "Don''t bother. They won''t know," he said. He then stood up, patting his knees. "It''s fine. You don''t have to worry. I will go." His eyes widened considerably. "You? Alone?" "Wait, you can''t be serious," Jyejin shouted, "Are you tired of life? It''s a whole school of people, and maybe even more!" She grabbed his shoulder. She had seen his strength, and though it was hard to believe, it was impossible to deny. Still, he was only human. When cut, he''d still bleed and die. "That girl is right. If you wanna die, there are a lot less painful ways to do so." "Thank you for the peptalk guys. Still, I got some burning questions, and the one with the answers is him." He stretched his legs. "In the name of knowledge, you know?" "Stop joking around!" Jyejin said, this time really angry. "Does your life mean nothing? What about the people who care about you? Like your mother? Or me?" Ji-ah patted her on the shoulder. The people thought she would be a voice of reason, but "I''ll go with you." These words struck a decisive blow on Dong Joowon. "Are you nuts?" She didn''t react. Her eyes of determination faced Lee Dojin. "Two people are a lot better than one, right?" "No," Lee Dojin refused. "Huh?" She didn''t expect that. She was so shocked, she pulled his head closer. He could see her eyes twitch, she whispered with a patient but angry voice, "What do you mean no? You don''t think I''m still some weakdy right? You gave me the power, you should know best. I won''t be a burden." "No, it''s the opposite." He sighed. "You are too strong, Ji-ah. What are you gonna do? Burn them to a crisp with your light pirs? I''d rather you not." After all, he had spent quite some time for her not to be the Mother of Ravens. Lee Dojin ced her hand away and walked forward. He gave her a pat on the back, with a smile he said, "It''s fine. I told my mom I''ll see her tonight. I''m not one to break promises." The people watched him go. It didn''t appear as if they could stop him. And they were right. Lee Dojin was certain of his actions. Do Jiwoon was a great foe, even after the apocalypse began. He needed to ascertain his feelings. "Wait a moment," Dong Kwantaek said. He approached him from afar. There was some hesitation in his steps. "Uhm, you might think I''m crazy, but there''s something I need you to know." "You''d have to be really deranged for me to think so." The man scratched his neck, deliberating over his word choice. He didn''t know how to start. "Ah fuck it. You remember that time we fought, right? I''ve had a lot of thoughts guing me since then." He paused, "That time after I was on the ground. Did you use a supernatural ability?" "Oh, you remember?" He was pleasantly surprised. "Yes, I did." There was no need to hide it, seeing he would find out soon anyway. "I see." Kwantaek breathed out. His heart had a tumultuous beat, but at the same time, he felt calm. Like an omen that finally came true. "You know, I don''t want to pry into your business, but it''s about Do Jiwoon. I think you should know. I''ve met him only once, but I think I saw it." His tone was filled with anxiety. He unwittingly broke into a cold sweat. "I''m certain that just like you, he has a supernatural ability too." Lee Dojin stopped walking for a moment. He didn''t turn around. "Noted." ... Il Chunghoo arrived with Ah Yeurong by his side. He held her by the shoulder, but she showed no signs of running away in the first ce. His eyesnded on Oh Sanbaek. "You''re back." "Yes indeed. Just had some stuff toplete." He gestured for him to follow. "Let''s go in." Entering the warehouse, they were first greeted with darkness. With them adjusting to it, the silhouettes of several people began appearing. In the middle, as always, there stood Do Jiwoon, his hair was all white by now. The first one to say something, surprisingly, was Ah Yeurong. She had a face full of shock, as she muttered, "Tae Sukjin?" Chapter 50: What Is Fear? Chapter 50: What Is Fear? "Good Morning, Yeurong," Do Jiwoon said with a happy face. "Or is it evening now? It''s hard to tell without the sun." He waved his hand as if nothing was wrong. Il Chunghoo shoved her to the front. She fell, her knees to the floor, looking like a prisoner awaiting their execution. "Wait, what?" Ah Yeurong shook her head in confusion. "You, Sukin, right? It''s you, right? What''s going on?" "Sukjin. Hmm, I guess that was the name I told you, huh?" He rubbed his cheek, seemingly in thought. "Sorry, I don''t have a great memory." "Are you joking? Is this some kind of sick joke," she asked him with a shaky voice. "If it isn''t, then who are you!" Jiwoon approached her. The people holding her down parted as if the Red Sea. It was borderline scary to witness, several people, their faces without any expression and body obscured by the shadow, standing still, waiting for their leader to react. Even though there were so many, Ah Yeurong felt she was alone with him. Even though she knew his face so well, he felt like a stranger. The boy gently swept the hair out of her face. "Nice to meet you. My name is Do Jiwoon." "I don''t understand," she muttered. Now, not only her voice but her whole body shook. "I, I don''t." "Well, to exin, the Tae Sukjin, the man apparently from college, the man you spent your time with thest few weeks, the one you slept withhe doesn''t exist." Heughed while making a ''poof'' gesture the same way a magician would. Ah Yeurong broke down, seeing his uncaring face. Tears came streaming down her cheeks, and she screamed out loud. "I don''t get what you mean!" Do Jiwoon turned around, not caring for her shouts. He gestured at the other young adults around him. "You guys go. I need some alone time." The people whispered in great silence. Oh Sanbaek stepped forward. He asked with uncertainty, "Are you sure? Uhm, it''s not like I don''t trust you or anythingI really do!but I''m worried that maybe she''ll do something weird?" He nced at Yeurong, who sobbed loudly. "You know, right? ''A rat that''s cornered'' and all that." Jiwoon patted Sanbaek on the shoulder, whose whole body turned cold immediately. The fear was ingrained deep in his bones. The white-haired boy told him, "Thank you for your concern. But it''s all part of the n. No worries." "I, I see," he replied. He turned around, nodding at the crowd. If Do Jiwoon said so, all they could do was obey. As they left one by one, letting a sliver of light through the door, Sanbaek made his way out too. "Oh, if you peep, I''ll murder you, got it," Do Jiwoon said with cheeryughter, bringing a great shudder upon Sanbaek. His knees almost gave up on him, and he used the wall to guide him the rest of the way. "Haha, funny guy," Jiwoon muttered. "..:" Ah Yeurong stared at Jiwoon. Her eyes red. She was waiting for him to talk. "You know, I picked that guy up while he was looking for revenge. You should have seen the drive in his eyes. It''s like someone had murdered his n. Well, he walked into your father''s gang, and got into a scuffle with the wrong kind of people." Jiwoon patted the girl''s head as he told his story. "I wonder, if I hadn''t picked him up, he might be swimming with the fishes." He gave her a quick nce. "Oh, that means he''d be dead." Her eyes remained on him. After a long pause, she muttered, "My father''s gang?" "You really don''t know anything at all, do you?" Jiwoon tilted his head. "How is it possible to be so oblivious to the world?" Ah Yeurong was confused. She asked him, "Why?" "Why I saved that coward Sanbaek? Well, we had the same enemy, so" "No!" She shook her head. "Why me? Why did you choose me?" "Why not?" He asked her as if a matter of fact. His tone was cold enough to freeze hell. "It had to be someone, so why not you?" The answer baffled her. She was rendered speechless. "Only for that? Only for that?" Do Jiwoon shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, Yeurong, even if this may cause a small rift in our rtionship, the emotions you have felt were real." He patted her head. "When we met in that club, when we talked for hours, when I confessed my feelings for you, and of course when we consummated our love. You wanted a magical partner who''d make you forget about this world''s responsibilities. I granted you that wish, so why can''t you grant mine?" "You motherfu" She jumped at him, hoping to get at least one punch in. He wasn''t looking at her, so it was the best time. However, out of the blue, the shadow underneath Jiwoon started to wriggle. And to Yeurongs astonishment, it released a gray smog, filling the entire warehouse. The smog caught her in the air, bringing her afloat. Do Jiwoon returned his attention to her. "Sorry, not today." "What the f!" Her words cut short. A chill washed over and an instinctive feeling of fear wrapped her into a ball. She felt like someone had her dropped into the cold endless ocean without a boat. Even though she trashed, the smoke held her tight. As she listened, she realized a faint wailing sound echoed through the warehouse. And upon closer inspection, she saw, on the smog, hundreds of humanlike faces, all painted with grotesque horror, screaming for a release of this agonizing pain. "''Gate to Purgatory'', that''s what my ability is called. I think it''s a fitting name; for a ce that passes judgement to the living, this level of terror is apt," he exined calmly. "With this, I can call upon the souls of those who have passed and ask them to do my bidding. They are brittle individually but en masse pack quite a punch." Smog kept escaping his shadow. Ah Yeurong was close to fainting, but Do Jiwoon held her sleep hostage. She screamed, "Let me go, let me go, you monster!" "Don''t be like this. You''ll hurt my feelings." As he said so, a piece of the smog gathered around him, forming into a person. Surprisingly they looked incredibly simr to Jiwoon, only, a bit older. "You want to know the truth that badly? Fine. Soon, the world is going to end. No one but me knows this; not even people with Affinities like me. No, all they can do is bask in their blissful but temporary ignorance. Gangs? Territory? Society? School? They all mean nothing in the face of survival." The smog approached Ah Yeurong. "Get away from me!" She shook her head, but no dice. "I had no choice but to make a n. I collected as many resources as I could. People told me I was crazy, and normally I''d agree. I do like to stay in the shadows. But I had no time, you understand?" He paused, watching that one particr smog-piece. "That soul there, approaching you. Do you know who that is? It''s quite funny." Heughed. "That''s me. But not me at the same time. He appeared together with my power, apparently another version of me. But older. And dead. I felt it, his history. Hejust like us soon willwent through hell after The Mirage invaded our world. I saw it all. At first, I thought he was from the future. But no. I don''t know how, but he hade from a parallel universe." He moved his hair out of his eyes. "And now, his soul has returned, rising from the dead through me." Ah Yeurong wasn''t listening anymore. She only begged, "Don''t approach me, please-" "It''s no use. He can''t talk. The only word he could say was, ironically a name." He smiled wryly. "The whole time, he called for a personLee Dojin." Heughed. "Hahaha, can you believe it? I don''t even know a person with that name. But, whoever it was, left a horror ingrained into my other soul. Hrious isn''t it?" He clicked his tongue. "So when I met that Oh Sanbaek and heard that name ''Lee Dojin'' again, I just had to pick him up." "I don''t get anything. You are crazy!" She stared at the soul. "What does anything of this have to do with me?" "Say, you are pregnant, right?" A mischievous grin appeared on his face. He asked, "At what point do you think a fetus forms a soul?" Her eyes widened, but before she could react, the soul entered through her mouth, sliding down her throat. In the end, a warm feeling appeared underneath her stomach. Promptly after, she fainted, the whites of her eyes showing. The smog subsided, slowly releasing any tension, and returning into his shadow. Everything turned into a silent warehouse again. "Sweet dreams." He gave her a quick prayer and covered her with a jacket. "Hopefully, when you wake up, you''ll take good care of the child. It''s me, after all." He took a seat on the ground, closing his eyes. It was unknown what thoughts went through his mind. However, breaking his focus, the outside suddenly turned noisy. Screams kept resounding outside. Loud crashes, with voices full of fear, enveloped this warehouse. And then it was silent again. After a while, the door opened slowly. Oh Sanbaek fell into the room. "Didn''t I say you''re dead if you entered?" "He, he''s here!" the boy shouted, "You were wrong, he survived!" He crawled forward. "That Lee Dojin!" A foot appeared above his head, trampling his face into the ground. Stepping in came a young man with a beastly smile, his hair slicked back, and an oppressing aura emitting out his very being. "What''s up, Jiwoon. It''s been a minute," he said with a rough voice. Do Jiwoon gave him a gentle smile. "I''ve never met you in my life." Chapter 51: Phone Calls Chapter 51: Phone Calls At a time when Ah Yeurong had yet to meet Do Jiwoon, Lee Dojin had been scraping around Seoul, trying to find them. "Figures he wouldn''t be here." he looked at the empty Sivi. The school stood above a hill, gated, looking like a prison. He remembered, in the security room at the only gate connecting Sivi to the world outside, was always an older woman, sitting there 24/7. He sometimes wondered if she wasn''t a robot, or some gically engineered freak, seemingly never needing to rest. There was a campus, though no real students could ess it. Arriving there, he saw not a single person. A wave of nostalgia wanted to overwhelm him, but he suppressed it, as there were more important things currently. He took out his phone and called Kim Taewon. That man had quite a lot of info gathered on them, so maybe he knew something. "It''s me, Dojin." A jovial voice replied, "Hyung, how are you? Wow, I''m quite popr today. Dahee is going to be jealous." Taewon had picked up. Lee Dojin took a seat by the curve. A stray leaf blew by, brushing his left shoe. "What do you mean by that?" "Well, A few minutes ago, Jyejin called me, asking if she knew anything about Sivi and where it is was." Lee Dojin could hear Yoo Dahee form the other side. "Right after, your friend Heeson called. I didn''t know you gave him my number. Well, he told me he had a personal vendetta against Il Chunghoo and asked me where to find that guy since he wanted to bash his head. They both seemed in a hurry so I simply gave them the location." He paused. "I suppose you have a simr question?" "You would be correct." He nodded. "I see," Kim Taewon muttered. "Hyung. I apologize." "For what?" "It was never my intention to get you all involved. I can tell you''ve gotten mixed up in something bad." The man fiddled with the phone. "How about this? We are close to finding out that group''s real intentions. If you leave it up to us, we''ll catch them and you''ll just step out of danger." "It''s a little toote for that." He smiled. "Also, there''s someone I have some business with them." "I got it." Taewon nodded, while at the same time sighing. "What exactly are you looking for?" Lee Dojin only said a name, "Do Jiwoon." There was a short silence from the phone. "He, he''s a bit hard to find, you know? After all, that''s the leader." A short breeze passed by Lee Dojin. The school looked so vast without people. "Still, if I had to guess, he''s at the ce where a lot of his other ces. There''s a warehouse in Myeongdong that we are suspecting, but it belongs to that one bigpany Wayward Pharmaceuticals, so it''s hard to gain ess." "What did you say? Wayward?" Lee Dojin''s eyes widened. He thenughed out. "You will have to ask Jyejin for that one." "What why?" "Well," he mulled over his words, "Her uncle is the CEO Kim Illsang." "What," he shouted, his surprise evident from his voice. "Are you serious? Like, serious, serious? Why didn''t you tell me sooner! Can you ask her for permission to enter the warehouse?" A hint of excitement was reflected in his tone. "You can call her yourself. But first, it''s my turn." Lee Dojin hung up, wasting no time, the next person to call was naturally Kim Jyejin. "Look who remembered to show their face. Or is it their voice?" Jyejin huffed. "No, that doesn''t matter. You just wait at the school, I''ming to pick you up right now." "What? No, you don''t need toe." He wanted to exin, but she interrupted him. "Oh yes, I do. I just found something very important," she replied. "Did you know that Ah Yeurong is pregnant?" Lee Dojin jumped up from the sudden news. "What?" "Yes, her friend just said so. That exins the reason why she was so hectic." Kim Jyejin sighed. "Yeurong didn''t want anyone to know, but given the situation, it might be best not hide it, since she can''t handle any rough manhandling." "Pregnant..." That info came as a genuine surprise to him. Hearing that word, and connecting it to Do Jiwoon, things started to slowly make sense. But that info preceeded one factor. He grit his teeth. "That bastard was part of the system even before the tutorial." There was only one reason he needed a pregnant gind it certainly wasn''t something pleasant. Antibirth, that''s what Do Jiwoon had called it. Lee Dojin thought it was a fancy name for abortion, but it turned out much more sinister: Jiwoon had realized, an unborn baby could be host for his dead spirits. Through inserting many different souls into a single body with none, he wanted to create an entity that had many different Affinities, creating per his definition, the perfect Ubermensch. In the end, that experiment turned out to be a bust. But it was at that time, Lee Dojin thought he had gone too far and parted ways with him. This was, in hindsight, a mistake. One of his few regrets was that he had killed him sooner. "Jyejin. Listen carefully. I need you to tell me the exact location of your uncle''s warehouse in Myeongdong." ... Kim Jyejin, on the other side, looked confused, but she still obliged. "I''ve sent it to you." Ji-ah stood behind her, on tippy-toes, trying to peek into at her disy. "What''d he say?" Jyejin hung up. She looked at her phone with a quizzical face. "He''s found their location." "That''s great," she shouted with joy. "Yeah, I guess," she muttered, "Sorry, I have to call someone." Baek Ji-ah rolled up her sleeves. "I''m going too. There has to be something I can do." "Ji-ah, are you crazy," Dong Jowoon shouted. Now that Lee Dojin wasn''t there anymore, he didn''t feel as intimidated. "How can you get involved in a student scuffle? What we have to do is report it to the supervisor, and they will take it from there. Give them a suspension, or maybe even expel them, and it will be done." Ji-ah red at him. "This hardly seems like something for the school to handle." "Children have to listen to adults! That''s how it''s always been. We''ll solve it without making a big case of it, okay?" He walked forward. "We can notify the school board. Afterward, let''s get something to drink; Just the two of us, what do you think?" Ji-ah''s stubbornness red up. "How can you say something so irresponsible when a student of yours has been kidnapped?" "Kidnapped is a strong word." He started to sweat. "They are just kids. You know, boys, right? Boys will be boys." He reached his hand out to Ji-ah. However, unexpectedly, she pped him away. With an angry voice, she screamed, "Don''t you fucking touch me!" Dong Jowoon was taken aback, faltering a few steps. "Ji-ah?" "Oh shut up," she shouted, "School board this; Director that. Listen. I don''t give a shit. My student is in danger, and I will save her. you can stay here twiddling your thumbs, but do not srop me." She turned around, walking to Jyejin. She ripped her dress apart, revealing her leg. "Shit, this fluff is annoying." Jowoon watched her back, at a loss for words. He stuttered, shocked, thinking for something to say. "About, about, uh, the coffee" Ji-ah gave him the middle finger. "You can shove that up your ass. I ain''t interested." "...Ji-ah, I, I can still overlook it if you apologize now. Otherwise, I''ll have to report you to the counselor if you keep being unreasonable." "Yeah, yeah," she scoffed while waving her hand, not even looking at him. "Get me fired if you want to. I''m sick of all these rules. Of society regting what I can be or not. A person once told me to go my own way. That''s what I will do. Just like my brother would have wanted." She arrived at Jyejin. "Tell me the location too." Jyejin nodded. She was on the phone, but not with her uncle, as she had hoped to. No, it was Kim Heeson. ... "Where are you going," Park Wonho asked. Kim Heeson pushed some numbers on his phone. He opened the door. "To help a friend." He walked out. Park Wonho stared out the window, at Heesons back. He said quietly but clearly, "Take care." A slight smile briefly appeared on Heesons face, until it turned stoic again. he ced his phone on his ear. "Dojin. It''s me." ... Lee Dojin closed his phone. He stood in front of the warehouse. There were several students in front. He approached them. A student of his own school (he had the same uniform) came to asn him what he was doing here. Lee Dojin didn''t answer. No, he only swung his hand, hitting that boy''s chin, whose head shook and then promptly copsed; his eyes wide. This action alerted the surrounding people. They were shocked and unsure of what happened but understood an enemy had appeared. "Who is this bastard?" "Get him!" "Piece of shit, where do you think you are?" Lee Dojin cracked his neck. With a cold voice, he told them, "Move." The whole area turned silent. Like an Orchestral Hall where a performance had just ended. The people around him shook, unsure of where the fear came from. They stood frozen. It was unreasonable to feel such a great amount of horror for a single person when they were a few dozen. However, seeing that man''s domineering spirit, they simply did not wish to be the first to to confront him. And thus, they all stood rooted to the ground. He walked past them, arriving at the end, seeing Oh Sanbaek, who shuddered like a baby deer. The cowardly boy tried saying something, "Look, man, you don''t understand" But Lee Dojin did not wish to hear it. With an expressionless face, he punched Oh Sanbaek, feeling a crunch behind his fist, and opening the door with the inertia of that poor fool''s crashing body. In the middle, there he saw the always familiar figure. Well, unlike now, he used to have ck hair during this age, but only because he dyed it as his natural hair color of white was too attention-grabbing, he had said. The man wouldter be known by many titles: The False God. The White Temptation. The Ghost. The Ruler of Demons. The Evil OneBut Lee Dojin will always remember him by his S-Rank Affinity Title ''Son of the Morning, Do Jiwoon.'' Lee Dojin activated his ability. Innumerable stars appeared around him. "What''s up, Jiwoon. It''s been a minute." The white-haired boy lifted his head underneath the shrouded darkness. Smoke appeared from his shadows. "I''ve never met you in my life." Chapter 52: Fight Between Affinities I Chapter 52: Fight Between Affinities I Lee Dojin grumbled. He lifted his hand, realizing it was shaking. Was he nervous? No, that was wrong. This was excitement. Finally, he did not have to fight the lifeless shadows or ordinary humans. "Will you start," he asked, getting into a fighting stance, "Or do you want me to start?" Do Jiwoon appeared unbothered, but the shadows beneath him rumbled, almost bubbling, preparing to lift off. Smoke escaped outside, forming a few loose souls, but they quickly dissipated into nothingness. "Are you sure we can''t just talk this out," Do Jiwoon asked (to Dojin''s surprise), lifting his hands. He''d have looked sincere, was it not for the tormented souls surrounding him, crying in despair. "You, are you a yer too?" He couldn''t see the stars conjured by Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin squinted his eyes. He didn''t believe a word from that snake, but he obliged, wanting to know where this was going. He answered, "Yes, that is right." "Is that so." The smog beneath Do Jiwoon simmered down. "As you can guess, the same goes for me." A smile as gentle as a summer breeze appeared on his face. "Say, instead of fighting, why don''t we team up?" "What?" "You may not know," His voice turned serious, "But soon, this world ising to an end. No really. I mean it. Earth, the way we all know it, will not be here anymore. So, facing such great cmity, do we really need to fight amongst each other?" Lee Dojin''s eyebrows shot up. A great deal of astonishment overwhelmed him. He asked, "How do you know that?" As of now, no one but him should have known. No, there was maybe one who did, but it should not be Do Jiwoon. Even for him, that was impossible. Unless, just like Ji-ah, his future had changed? He shook his head. "I saw it all. It is part of my ability, you know. I''ve seen about you too. Lee Dojin, right? I know where your future lies. I''m not telling you to believe me, of course not. But you''ll see for yourself. You''ll know tomorrow." Lee Dojin''s brows furrowed. This was an unexpected development. One, where he wasn''t sure if it was good or bad. "Why me?" Do Jiwoon smiled. He found it nice to see Lee Dojin be epting. He walked forward, talking. "I told you. I know about the future. Soon, you will be part of many tumultuous battles. You will win many, but your losses weigh even more. I wish to be by your side, for one, to be part of your wins, but also to prevent your losses," Jiwoon exined. "You see, right now, there''s no one with more potential than us two. Me who knows what routes to avoid, and you who can walk the ones left." The boy opened his arms. "Together, we can save this godforsaken world." Was it possible that this Do Jiwoon differed from the one he knew? Lee Dojin''s expression turned strange. He could feel it. That guy wasn''t lying. In the first ce, he had never met Jiwoon in this world. Maybe that guy had changed too. Lee Dojin approached him, lowering his fists. Jiwoon stretched his hand out. At the same time, he bowed, as if a servant, "I swear on it, I will protect your back. And when the need arises, will you have mine too?" Lee Dojin looked at the boys'' hand. Then, he looked around. He saw, for one, the horrified Oh Sanbaek, but that was uninteresting. No, what mattered was the girl next to him, asleep, her eyes closed. Was that Ah Yeurong? The darkness made everything hard to see. He opened his mouth, asking, "Say, if you know the future, then tell me: What''s my title?" Do Jiwoons eyes flickered from surprise, but soon after,posed himself. He answered, "Of course, it''s The Lightbringer." Lee Dojin didn''t answer. His eyebrows shot up. A sneer appeared on his mouth. Do Jiwoons felt something wrong. His hand fell. He sighed. "It would seem like negotiations have broken down." He swung his arm, the cry of despairing souls shot toward Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin turned his head, dodging the attack. There was one that almost hit him, but he swung it away, the soul crumbling in the air. Within this warehouse, it was hard to see the smog. "Not yet," Jiwoon said, swinging his arms in the air, created innumerable more souls,ing out from the darkness. Lee Dojin dodged them one by one, but it was getting close. As he jumped over two, Do Jiwoon nked him, in his hand gray smoke, hitting Lee Dojin, enveloping the ce in smoke. It exploded, like a bag full of flour. "Is that all? Looks like I overestimated him huh?" He settled down, his shadows simmering. However, when he tried pulling his hand back, he realized he had been stuck. Lee Dojin peeked through the smoke. He had caught Jiwoons hand. "Come on, leaving already? We are just getting started." "You!" From his other hand, another smoke bomb appeared, and he aimed for Dojin''s face, who then let go and teleported away. Jiwoon felt his skin turn numb, as the boy had suddenly disappeared. He cocked his head back but was immediately hit in his face, sliding back a few meters. "With such weak techniques, you won''t ever be able to reach me," Lee Dojin said, shaking his fist, and smiling lightly. Jiwoon spat out some blood. His face turned serious. "It looks to be that way." He lifted his hand, souls rose from below again. "Is that your ability? Highspeed? I thought you were based on light?" "That''s old news." Dojinughed. "If you want I can exin it to you." Do Jiwoon wiped the blood off his lips. He grinned widely. "No need." He swiped his hands. Souls that found no rest attacked Lee Dojin again. "You know," he said, "I like this ce because quite a lot of people have died here. The whole warehouse is filled with ammunition." "Shouldn''t you be able to store souls in your shadow anyway?" If he remembered Jiwoons ability correctly that is. He lifted his arm. "Didn''t I say? You won''t hit me with this attack." however, the souls stopped right in front of Lee Dojin. He first felt bewildered, but upon recalling the past Jiwoon, it quickly evolved to rm. Do Jiwoon watched Dojin. He clenched his hands into a fist and said, "Purgatory: Soul sh." The souls exploded in Dojin''s face, changing into a haze that enveloped him. Inside, he was shown innumerable sounds, smells, visions, and tastes. They came all at once, overloading his brain, catching him off-guard. Those were the past memories of the dead, which all came at once. Jiwoon felt a headache creeping in. This attack had still been too harsh on him. Still, he appeared ted. "How does it feel, living through the many lives in a fraction of a second? They say when you are close to dying, life shes past you. Experience the cold despair of death." Heughed loudly. "Sink into the abyss of fear." "To be honest, I''ve had enough of that already." Jiwoons cut hisughter short, as he heard the voice appear again,ing from behind his back. He turned around, but there was no one there. "Stuff like this, at one point just doesn''t affect you anymore." Lee Dojin appeared behind him again. However, every time Jiwoon turned around, Dojin vanished from existence. It was like he had never been there. No portal, no slowly phasing away, no line of teleportation. He was simply gone. It drove Jiwoon to insanity. "Stop running," he screamed. "Fine." Lee Dojin appeared before him. He grabbed Do Jiwoons hand. "I''m here." The two were now interlocked. Dojin punched out, hitting Jiwoon in his stomach. He spat out some blood. However, it was like the guy didn''t feel pain. No, instead, his smile grew bigger. He knew he could not escape Dojin''s grip, so he obliged, hitting back. The two, while holding hands, continued to punch each other, neither showing signs of dodging. Oh Sanbaek, through his delirium, could only see two monsters both grinning wildly, bashing into each other. One looked like a wild animal, while the other like an abyss. "They''re insane," he muttered, full of fear. Jiwoon, after a while, fell to his knees. He gasped for air, his white hair was disheveled. He couldn''t believe it. Was that person made from iron? Jiwoon knew he wasn''t the strongest. But seeing the boy standing there without any damage was rather discouraging. He was not only strong, but also fast and resilient. Was such a human even allowed to exist? Dojin untangled his hand. "I guess that is it." He took a step back, but not to escape. Rather, as Jiwoon fell, Dojin kicked with all his might, hitting that boys'' face straight, who then flew back, doing a parab of an arc. Jiwoonnded on the ground, but not without bouncing once or twice. He looked at Lee Dojin, though his vision was blurry. "I guess you never can trust the future." He coughed out ck blood. "You are way stronger than I was told." He pushed himself up again. "I could say the same thing about you," Dojinughed dryly. How was it possible for Jiwoon to already be this proficient with his ability? Not even he himself knew much about his new Affinity. He had a lot of question to ask "However, at the very least. I''ll take you down with me." Jiwoon ced two fingers up. The surrounding gray smoke gathered into a giant ball. Collecting everything, it then floated to Jiwoon. As he touched it, the ball started glowing, and rapidly assimting with him. Dojin whistled in amazement. "That is certainly new." He didn''t remember this from the past life. Jiwoons bones started creaking, his lost blood gathering back within him, and his wounds closed. He stood up once more, this time in full health. However, now, there was a hazy smoke with faces surrounding his arms and legs, as if it was armor. Blood spurted out his nose. "Purgatory: Soul Symbiosis." He took a fighting stance. An iparable pressure oozed out of him. "I''ll be honest, this is myst resort. I advise you to die quickly." Dojin cracked his neck. "Thank you. Then, let me show you my own strongest attack." He crossed his hands into an X-form. "Fair warning. It''s a martial art I learned from someone incredibly strong, so I can''t control it with my current body. I guess, the person, you can call her my other mother? Though I won''t ever acknowledge it." Jiwoon lunged forward, creating almost a shockwave blowing away the walls on the warehouse. Lee Dojin put his fingers into an X-Form too. He muttered "Day of Judgement, First Trumpet: Scorched Earth." Chapter 53: The First Trumpet Chapter 53: The First Trumpet Kim Heeson snuck past thest few students. Truthfully speaking, it wasn''t that hard, as no one paid any attention to passerbys. No, they almost seemed as if they were escaping, a slight panic in their eyes. However, why would that be so? He arrived at the warehouse Jyejin had linked him to. Nobody was guarding it. For a short moment, he even thought that maybe this was the wrong ce, was it not for Kim Jyejin having shown him a picture. The warehouse was wide, with the walls made out of red bricks. The windowsof which there weren''t manyhad been bolted shut. At the terrace, there was a long chimney, leading all the way up, dispensing white smoke. Heeson stepped forward, rubbing his head. He wondered, "Am I the first to arrive?" And as if to prove him wrong, a loud explosion rang out, shaking even the ground, and scratching at his ears. "Seriously? Don''t tell me that was Dojin?" For some reason, if it was him, he could imagine it. He was thinking of entering the warehouse, but that big noise made him waver. In the first ce, he wasn''t here to save Ah Yeurong. He had nothing to do with thatdy. And if Lee Dojin could not manage it, he wouldn''t either. No, he had onlye for one thing "The fuck was the explosion?" Il Chunghoo came from across the corner. He had a tear under his eye and yawned as if sleepy. The boy scratched his neck. If he had hair, it would have been disheveled. Kim Heesons eyes widened. He smiled roughly. "Yes, the only reason I''vee here was to fuck this dude up." Il Chunghoo looked at Heeson. He tilted his head. " Sorry, there are so many people here, I can''t keep track of everyone. Do I know you?" "No," he replied, walking towards him. "I suppose you don''t." Arriving in front of Chunghoo, he ced his hand on his shoulder. Heeson was a head taller, but Chunghoo had a lot more muscles. He smiled but was full of bad intentions. "I''ve taken a quick nap, and suddenly everyone''s gone," Chunghoo said, none the wiser. His brows furrowed. "I feel like I am forgetting something." Heeson clenched his fist. "Well, maybe this will rock your memory." He took a step back, charging as much power as he could, then threw it back out hitting Chunghoos face squarely. Il Chunghoos head flung back, his neck elongating, but he remained at the same spot. "I can''t say it did." He stared at Heeson, wiping the fresh blood off his lips. Heeson took another step back. He kicked out, aiming at Chunghoos head. The boy managed to block out, but another kick quickly hit his head again. Il Chunghoo fell a few steps back. He clicked his tongue. Not both sides of his lips were bruised. "Wait, I recall now. You''re that one punk hanging around that loser group. There was this one guy who you all looked up to right? What was he called again? That big one? Park Wendy or something?" Heughed. "It''s hard to remember unimportant people." Anger flushed his face, turning it red. "You fight with your mouth or something?" "I thought you were just giving me a love tap." He cracked his neck. "And you punch like a little bitch." He too clenched his fist and punched out. A left straight. It came incredibly fast, but as Heeson went to block it, he felt his arms quiver. Chunghoo lifted his leg, going for a kick, but he stopped midway. While still in the air, he hooked his foot into Heesons defense, pulling it down, revealing his face. Right after, he sent a real ick, with his heel hitting the boy''s face. Kim Heeson faltered, stepping back. He held his nose, which was currently bleeding. "You piece of sh" His words were cut off, by another kicknding on his face. Il Chunghoonded on the ground, lightly bouncing as a boxer would. He didn''t even have his guard up. "See. You are weak." Heeson spat a mouth full of blood. "I''d rather be weak but free, unlike you, a barking dog for someone higher." Il Chunghoo stopped moving. "What could you possibly know about freedom?" He punched Kim Heeson again, who fell back. "That''s what I hated about your group. Always yammering about being free. What is there to be free about?" He punched again. Heesons arms dropped down. "There''s no such thing as freedom in this crazy world. Not 2000 years back, not now. The first time some stupid fish decided to leave the ocean and grow legs, we were all doomed to suffer." The punches kept raining down. Blood sttered everywhere. "Free from pain? You know nothing about pain. Do you know how it feels, everyday, waking up and not remembering what you did yesterday? How it feels to mix up past and present? Forgetting who you hold dear? Having the feeling as if you forgot something, every single damn second?" Il Chunghoo clenched his fist, the veins on his arm showing, and he rammed the knuckles into Kim Heesons face. "There''s no freedom from that!" He hit him once more. "All you can do is escape." Kim Heesonid on the ground, his face all messed up. The vision on his left eye was blurry. He opened his blood-filled mouth. "...You''re wrong." Il Chunghoo kicked his stomach. "I''m not." He squatted down. "Call me dog all you want. But Do Jiwoon, he''s got it figured out. In this world, you gotta follow the leaders. Unlike you, he''s the real deal. I know, because I will never forget his name." A slight shudder ran through him. "That man''s invincible. Nothing can hurt him. He''s a monster." Heeson smiled. "A real catch you have there." He pressed himself up. Chunghoo didn''t stop him, since he was half-dead anyway. "I really do despise you... I hate..." he thought about his sister, "People chasing fruitless dreams." He coughed, looking at Chunghoo. "But I hate people like you even more. You, who has no dreams." Though he had to agree on one thing. If there was a leader, he supposed someone came to his mind. Even though, the only thing he learned was how to form a fist from him. ''You''re closing your fist wrong. You have to keep your knuckles even, or you''ll break them. See, right here. Did they not teach you that at the karate ce.'' He grinned, recalling Lee Dojin''s words. "Truth be told, I never did karate." With hisst power, as Chunghoo had his guard down, he threw his fist out. However, this time, with purpose. Il Chunghoo lifted his hands in a carefree manner. But as they collided, his expression turned grave. He grit his teeth and focused all his strength in his forearms, yet could not hold him back. His fingers broke, letting through Heesons fist, and itnded square on Chunghoos chin. "You motherfu" He lost his bnce. Another fistnded on his nose. It broke. One more on his left rib. It broke. And atst, Heeson kicked his head, rattling that guys'' brain. Sudden vertigo hit him, and he fell to the ground, face first. Heeson did not fare better. His knees gave out, and he slumped down. Still, between those two, it was obvious who won. He gasped for breath. Il Chunghooid on his stomach. He couldn''t move a single finger. "Your name. What was it?" "Kim Heeson." "I''ll remember it," he said, clicking his tongue. "That was a good punch." "Fuck off," Heeson said, looking at the warehouse. Another explosion rang out. He sighed. If it was Dojin, then he''d manage, right?" Now was a battle between two monsters. ... Ah Yeurong awoke from her stupor. Do Jiwoon had nned for her to sleep the day through, and not even the various abilities of him and Dojin could let her rise. Yet, there was something now that yanked her out of the deep slumber. She turned her head. There was a boy with a cast. He shook unimaginably as if seeing the greatest terror of his life. Moving her head more, she saw Tae Sukjin (or Do Jiwoon), draped in smog. And there was one more person, standing in a weird pose. Her thoughts were hazy. She thought it was a dream. But then, why did she feel so hot? Oh Sanbaeks irises shook. A cut appeared on his lip, as it had turned ky. He lifted his jittering arm. The sweat that was on his body had disappeared, evaporated. His throat turned dry, and he realized, the water within the whole warehouse was disappearing. "This is the end of the world," he muttered, his head low and genuflecting. The cause, of course, was Lee Dojin. He stood incredibly still, as if unfazed. But the steam emitting from him betrayed him. "Another Affinity?" Do Jiwoon asked, astonished. He had stopped charging. "How is that possible?" "No, this is simply martial arts," he exined. "Something all humans can achieve." "Why would you lie so brazenly?" Even just standing there, he felt as if he was on fire. That''s not humanly possible. "Well, it is an ability bestowed by Him. It would be weird if anyone could use it." "Fine, I don''t need any answer." He became fully serious. No more smiles. He knew instinctively. This was a threat to his very existence. "Purgatory: Soul Decay." Dojin remained carefree. He snarled. "You keep surprising me today." The smog around them turned an inky ck. The leftover oxygen had turned toxic. This ce was now worse than a wastnd. Blood spurted out Jiwoons orifices. This ability put an incredible burden on him, but he didn''t care. All the souls came together, enveloping him in armor. And he held a long ck sword in his hand, one, that could cut even the darkness. "Let''s try this again." He lunged at Dojin, this time at full power. The souls followed him, destroying everything in its path. "Good luck," Dojin whispered. A pair of translucent wings sprouted out his back, and he untangled his hands. He shed forward, the ground underneath him turning to fire, then magma, then ash, until it was gone forever. What came now, Do Jiwoon found hard to describe. Sun. It was as if the sun itself hade crashing down. The warehouse darkened by his smog turned white. An incredible heat enveloped him, and if it were not for the souls, not even ashes would be left of him. It was as if heaven itself came crashing down on him, the sinner. He faced Dojin. A beautiful glow surrounded him. It was an Angel. The light subsided. Do Jiwoon fell down. His souls have all but evaporated. Jiwoon turned around. He had no power left. Still, he gasped. What he saw was the blue sky. The wall behind him had disappeared, leaving only charcoal. Lee Dojin stood behind him. He had a strange face. He muttered. "Damn, I missed." Chapter 54: Heroes and Hope Chapter 54: Heroes and Hope In essence, the martial art, Day of Judgement, was a straightforward technique. He wasn''t lying when he said that anyone had the potential to use it. After all, it was created with humanity in mind. It didn''t matter whether child or elderly; As long as you were human, that is. However, in the end, the only one to wield and master the martial art had been Lee Dojin. It was as if it had been designed just for him. No, in a way, it was, seeing as ''He'' had only bestowed it to him. Dojin bit his lips. "Though creator itself was a questionable being, I can''t deny that this is one of my strongest techniques." He turned around. With the warehouse wall gone, the night light shone in, illuminating the ce. Due to his title ''King of the Shadows,'' he could see in the dark anyway, but the soulsmog had obscured any light. He saw Do Jiwoon, half of his body charred ck. His left arm was gone, and any open wounds had immediately been cauterized by the me. His white hair swayed in the open wind. The Day of Judgement consisted of 7 techniquesreferred to as trumpetseach stronger than the previous one. What Lee Dojin had used was the first trumpet: Scorched Earth. The wings on his back were only for decoration. If only, they served to remind the enemy that the technique had begun. Something like a warning. Though if one saw the wings, it would be far toote. Upon activation, Lee Dojin would ignite his blood enough to make it steam. His whole body, in turn, reaches such a high temperature, that everything around him evaporates into nothingness. It is as if he was d in the sun''s mes. Then, focusing the heat on one single pointmost often a fingertiphe phases through the opponent. It won''t burn or re up, but everything he touched, vanished, crumbling into ash. "Why? You have so much power..." Do Jiwoon asked. He held his arm (or what was left of it). "If we thought together, we could have ruled the world." Lee Dojin breathed out a ball of hot air. "Yes, but with you alive, humanity will not prosper." It was said that this ability, upon mastery, could destroy 1/3 of the Earth. Though he had never achieved that, the power today was abysmalpared to his prime. Still, if he went too far, the first to burn up would have been him. Do Jiwoon tried pushing himself up, his legs shaking as he did. "Humanity? Who cares about that? When the world is going under, how can you be thinking about stuff like that? It''s eat, or be eaten!" He walked towards Dojin, at the same time stumbling. "Let society crumble! It was shit anyway! This hodgepodge made of hypocritical rules was doomed for failure. The reset was inevitable. Will you push against this burden? What can you, a lone human, do?" He grabbed him by the cor. "You cannot fight fate." The boy''s face was incredibly pained. Though it came not from the wounds. "I can," Lee Dojin said, his voice full of conviction. He pped Do Jiwoons hand away. The boy fell down. Ah Yeurong, watching everything unfold, stepped out her delirium. She cautiously approached Jiwoon. "Sukjin..." He turned around,ughing. Sweat flowed down his face, as he gasping for air. "Yeurong? You are awake." He paused. "Had a good dream?" She knelt down, brushing the hair out of her face. "You don''t look so well." He analyzed himself, seeing his broken body. "I suppose I don''t." He wanted to lift his left arm, only to realize it was gone. A chuckle escaped him. "You aren''t faring any better though, it seems." She held her face. She nodded, thinking she must have appeared haggard. Her hair was disheveled, and her lips chapped. The whole ce was still hard to breathe, even with the fresh air entering through the now open warehouse. "Say, was everything between us a lie?" Do Jiwoon paused for a second. He closed his eyes. "Yes." Ah Yeurong didn''t reply. Her face was unfathomable, her thoughts shrouded in darkness. She turned her head, looking at the night sky. "I see." Looking at the scenery, everything felt so free. The stars were beautiful tonight. "Moving on," Lee Dojin squatted down to face Do Jiwoon. He grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. "Extract the shadow out of the unborn child." Jiwoon''s irises shook. "How do you know that," he asked with a quivering voice. "Well, apparently we all have our secrets," he said. "This isn''t a request, by the way." He gulped, then nodded. Looking at Yeurong, a sigh left his mouth. Was there any use in resisting? His lips opened. "Purgatory: Soul Extraction." "Wait, I''m not ready ye" However, the ability had already been invoked. She felt something well up her throat, and soon, the soul came out, regurgitated by her. She coughed, the remaining smoke leaving her mouth. If possible, she''d never want to experience this again. At first, it was only a cloud, without any features. Right after, a face formed and as the limbs followed, Lee Dojin''s expression went to shock. "I see," he muttered. "That does exin a lot." The soul, unlike the others, was incredibly detailed. Before him, there stood another Do Jiwoon, an older version, one he knew too well. The man looked just like the day Dojin killed him. The soul screeched. Maybe it was saying something, but it was hard to tell. It rushed at him, fast enough to lose its shape. Lee Dojin did not move. The soul jumped, stretching out his hand, and in the end.. . embraced him. Not as in an attack or a feint. It was an honest hug with no killing intent. Lee Dojin ced his hand on the soul''s back. It felt incredibly cold. He winced. Lee Dojin muttered, "What''s up, Jiwoon. It''s been a minute." And right after, innumerable memories resurfaced in his mind. ... "I''m thinking of changing the world," Jiwoon said. He took a sip of his soda. Lee Dojin, squatting next to him, looked up. "The fuck?" He crushed the empty can in his hand and stashed it away. His sight fell upon the Sivi schools court. The two of them were atop the roof, an ess only they knew. If the educators got wind of it, they''d be getting a beating. However, it was worth the risk, seeing the beautiful scenery below. Here, they had a full view of all the students in the yard. "I mean it. ''How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment to improve the world.'' Those were Anne Frank''s words." He chuckled. "You see, not everyone can be like you, Dojin." His short hair swayed in the wind. "They can''t be strong and hold on to a hope that may nevere." "Hmm." Lee Dojin watched the sky. "I''m not a strong as you think I am." Meanwhile, Do Jiwoon eyed the people underneath. "That may be so, but you are a beacon for the weak. You are like a hero." Humans looked so interesting when observed from up high. Especially the students in this school. "These guys, they have no path on their own. No hope at all. They need an anchor. If so, I want to create it. A hope for those wandering alone." "I don''t think that''s necessary." A birdnded next to them. "I believe in humanity. We are wed, yes, but that is what makes us beautiful. Even in the futility of death, we find excellence in the fleetingness of life. That, I think, is hope enough." "I don''t agree." Jiwoonughed. "We may not see eye to eye, but you''ll have my back, right?" Lee Dojin smiled. "Is there anyone else dumb enough to follow scum like you?" ... "Motherfucker, how dare you sneak up on us," an unknown man shouted. He punched Do Jiwoons face. "Damn, that hurt." He fell to the ground. Surrounding him were several adult men, their faces enraged. In their hand, they held various weapons, ready to beat him into submission. "Well, it''s fine. You all are goners anyway." "Huh? Look at this brat talking trash. Has your brain been" Before he could finish his sentence, a kick knocked him unconscious. "What was that!" The people turned around. Soon, one by one, they began falling. "It''s your end," Jiwoon said,ughing as these adults went down. Lee Dojin appeared before him. "That was reckless of you, using yourself as bait." "I had no choice, did I? They took one of our kin." He spat out a loose tooth. "If we had taken any longer, who knows what they''d have done to her. This was the only way to find the kidnapped girl." His brows furrowed. "I hate adults. Always looking down on us. Oh, how I pray that one day they''d eat their just desserts." There was a hint o mncholy in his voice. ... "Dojin, Dojin! The world has given us a chance!" Heughed maniacally, his face full of blood, but it wasn''t his. Lee Dojin looked at the dead people surrounding them. He held his broken arm. He did not understand what happened. A sudden voice appeared before them, and suddenly the world had turned to hell. It was onlyter he realized what the Mirage was. "You... How can you smile in this situation?" "Don''t you understand? In times of wares the greatest change!" He dragged his twisted ankle. "Affinities? Monsters? First Advent? Fine by me. In the end, nothing has changed. The world is still shit. For the people without hope, let''s create a utopia." "A utopia? I''m all ears." He smiled wryly. "Tell me how to create one in such wretched hellhole." ... "Do Jiwoon! Do Jiwoon! Do Jiwoon!" The people outside chanted his name, but he paid it no heed. In front of him stood Lee Dojin, wings on his back. Light emitted from him, washing away the dark room. "You should have told me you''de visiting." Lee Dojin looked at the countless corpses surrounding him. In the middle, there was a pregnant woman, deep asleep. "Why did you do this?" "To achieve our dream." He flung his arm, blood sttering the wall. "This will be our hope." Lee Dojin''s face scrunched together. He but his lips. "Hope. Why are you so obsessed with hope?" Do Jiwoon scoffed. "Someone like you will never understand." The souls rose by hismand. "Humans, without hope, will grow destructive. Society will crumble without something to cling on to. Just like we saw in Sivi. There has to be something worth fighting for, or else we fight ourselves." "What will you do when the fight is over? Where will the soldiers return to, when their home has turned to a wastnd." Lee Dojin walked forward, his eyes glowed white. "Are you nning to take all the darkness upon yourself?" "If that is what it takes, yes." Jiwoon was shrouded in darkness. "See, war carries no great meaning. It is never for the greater good. It has never stood for what was right. Still, who decides what is right? Only when one thing disappears do we value it. Through pain, we learn pleasure, and through death, we learn life. Talking about peace, yet offering sacrifices to achieve it; Such is the height of human facy. You understand too." He sighed. "A time of peace has no need for heroes." "It seems we do not see eye to eye." He nodded, "Dojin, say, do you have my back?" A pir of light destroyed the rooftop. "No, I am afraid, not this time." ... "Say, was I wrong?" "I do not know." Do Jiwoon coughed. His body had shattered into pieces. There was no chance of him surviving. Blood escaped his open wounds and the right in his eyes dimmed. "Maybe, it was me that needed hope the most." Lee Dojin did not answer. He sat next to Jiwoon, his back turned against him. "You know, I considered you my friend." He paused. "No, you were like a brother to me. My only family." He breathed out. "Maybe I just wanted to be like you. Able to live my life without questioning the purpose. You always looked as if you had it figured out. I envied that." "I am also only a weakling." "Don''t sell yourself short. See, we both were never given hope in life. Yet, why are we so different? I wanted to understand, why, even through the same experiences, did I end up looking up to you? Why did you be my light?" blood seeped through his eyes. He saw nothing anymore. "Say, when I am gone, can you remember me as a hero?" Hisst words remained deeply ingrained in Dojin''s mind. ... Returning to the present, The soul slowly faded away. Lee Dojin''s arms cked down. He stared at Do Jiwoon, muttering, "So long, brother." Chapter 55: Oh 300 II Chapter 55: Oh 300 II Do Jiwoon watched his older soul dissipate. Even though he could notmunicate with it, he felt the deep emotional struggle it went through as he saw Lee Dojin. He, in this lifetime, never had someone whom he could ce his trust in, thus the glimmer within the soul''s eyes was an unknown one for him. Still, he wished to know, what had these two people gone through to leave behind suchplex expressions? He had seen snippets of the parallel him, but nothing noteworthy enough to understand. Atst, there was only a wisp left, untilpletely burning out, like an old candle in the wind. Where he disappeared to, no one truly knew. "Who are you?" Jiwoon asked Lee Dojin. He wanted to know the answer so much, it hurt his very being. "I.. . I''m Lee Dojin," he answered. "I used to be a lot of things. But now, I suppose now, I''m just a nobody." "Tsk. Never mind then." He stood up, holding his arm, and stumbled away. With every step he took, he fell down, not used to the change in his weight. "I don''t know," he gasped heavily, blood seeping out his nose, "I don''t know what your rtionship with the former me was, but I''m different. He stretched his hand out, reaching for a door. "The me from the other universe was a loser! He aplished nothing! I cannot allow myself to end like this." "So you do have some drive after all." Lee Dojin leisurely followed him. The two of them stepped into another room, one that led them up. Ah Yeurong watched them leave. She looked at Oh sanbaek and said, "Let''s follow them." Oh Sanbaeks eyes widened. "Are you crazy? Why would I do that?" He looked at the door these monsters just walked through. To him, that ce looked like the gates to hell. "Fine, suit yourself, do you want to stay here on your own then?" "Wait, wait, don''t be like that," he quickly interjected. "Fine, I''ll follow you. Let''s, uh, let''s walk slowly though." Do Jiwoon climbed up the stairs, supporting himself on the railings, he continued rambling on. "This will not be my end. My goal stands before me." Sweat dripped down his chin. "I will make this world bow down to me. They will realize their mistake." The stairs continued on, high up in the air. "The hope of this world will be shattered in my own hands!" He opened another door. A breeze blew into his face, almost shoving him down. His eyes were met with the vast sky. The moon shone upon him, with a few stars sprinkled in the distance, glimmering like pearls. Huge clouds parted and formed, constantly in motion, painting a new scenery every second. His irises shook. Now that he thought about it, whenever he was up the roof, he only looked at the humans below. The night looked so enchanting from here. "Pathetic," Lee Dojin said. He sat on a bench and had been waiting for Jiwoon to arrive. "You are a mockery of everything the old Do Jiwoon stood for." He stood up, brushing off the dust on his pants. "Now, the old Jiwoon was a piece of shit too, but at least he found something worth living for. You..." He paused. "Well, just look at you." Do Jiwoon observed his body. Not even a dryugh escaped him. He bit his lips then threw out a single soul. Lee Dojin crushed the smoke in his hands. "You exist just to destroy the wishes of others. Instead of guiding them to hope, you only show despair." He punched Do Jiwoons face. "What point is there in your existence?" "Spare me the pep talk. And don''t talk like you know me," Do Jiwoon said. veins appeared on his neck. "I have been alone all this life. For what purpose do I live? To end? I have nothing. No one to bring me love or hopeonly an empty heart." Heughed. "I do not regret my choices." Lee Dojin kicked his face. "Say, do you really think I won''t kill you?" He squatted down. "I did it once, I have no qualms in doing so again." "Then do it." Dojin paused."No, not yet." A birdnded next to him. "Why, you ask? Because, unlike you, I am a dreamer." His thoughts swirled. He imagined Baek Ji-ah. "I like to imagine that there''s still a way to a better future." He, too, faced the sky. "The world has yet to begin. I wish to see where my decisions lead me. I want to see if you can change." Do Jiwoon had an S-Rank ability. One that only he could possess. Thusjust like the Light Affinity went to Ji-ahupon his death, it may jump to someone else, just as twisted as him. But this time, Lee Dojin may not be able to control that person. "Hahahaha, you are a bigger fool than I imagined. I''m gonna puke." Do Jiwoonughed hysterically. His cries echoed through the warehouse. "How naiive. Be more realistic, will you? You are going to spare me? Are you nuts?" "Make no mistake," he cut him off, putting a finger against his lips. "Usually, in situations like that, the protagonist has some binding contract, either through magic, an artifact, or the system, and as a consequence, will dole out punishments upon a breach. I read it in these webnovels." He shrugged his shoulders. "But I have nothing like that. At least not now. No, you get one chance. if you ever be a liability for humanity, I wille for you. You won''t be able to hide or run. So you better straighten up" A long shadow cast over Dojin''s face, leaving only his eyes visible. As he grinned, his sharp canines surfaced on his mouth. Appearance-wise, he looked like the devil that had crawled out of hell. Lee Dojin''s voice turned low. "or I will be your consequence." A shudder ran down Do Jiwoon''s spine. He understood. A lump lodged itself in his throat. So that was what true fear looked like. "Speaking of liabilities." He looked at Oh Sanbaek. "You. I''ve given you a lot of chances already, don''t you think?" Sanbaeks face immediately turned pale. With a shaking voice, "Dojin, Dojin, brother, are you serious?" Sweat dripped off his forehead. "You can''t be, right? We''ve known each other for so long. How can you do this to me?" He slowly stepped back. "We can work this out, right? Right?" Lee Dojin chuckled, while approaching him. Oh Sanbaek kept backing off, until his butt hit the railing. "I wonder, back then, did the old Lee Dojin feel just like you now?" Oh Sanbaek felt the strong wind hugging him. As he looked down the railing, he saw how far away the ground was. He stretched his arms out. "You have to understand, it''s because of my family, you know? All the pressure, living up to my father, and my mother, trying to please him, always abusing me. I had it hard too, you kn" Lee Dojin grabbed his neck. He tilted his head. "Well, we all have our stories, don''t we?" Oh Sanbaek looked into Dojin''s eyes. And through his instincts, honed throughout the years, a feeling welled up inside him. Unease. He knew that feeling too well. It was as if all of his being told him to run. Only, this time, there was no escape. He screamed loudly, scratching at Lee Dojin''s hand, kicking out until free. He watched Dojin, then the railing. "Fine," heughed, though tears fell down his eyes. "You win. I give up." He closed his eyes. His lips were pale white. "I wanted to deny it, to go against it. I prided myself in my information gathering, yet, no intel could suppress my limiting beliefs." He turned to Lee Dojin, stepping on the railing. "We were the same. So I couldn''t believe it." He let himself fall. He saw the sky. Indeed, it was a beautiful night. "I couldn''t believe, that maybe, I too, could change like you did." Lee Dojin watched him plummet down the ground. Stifledughter wanted to escape. "What irony," he muttered. And such was the end of Oh Sanbaek, the coward. ... "Kim Jyejin looked so pressed when she walked away," Ji-ah said into her phone. "So, are you all out of the warehouse?" She currently stood atop the terrace of a high building. It looked like a shopping mall. Though she wasn''t sure, as she rushed to the top as fast as she could, not caring the slightest about who she may offend. Arriving there, she had to do quite a lot of sneaking. But it was worth the view. Lee Dojin replied, "Yes, we are." From his side, one could hear Kim Heeson talking about something. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Her white dress fluttered in the wind. Through the handmade tear, her leg shone through. It was a bit cold today. "Well, Jyejin had that dark face around her. She said she needed to talk with her uncle and went away. Something about the warehouse must have made her real upset. I don''t know, but she didn''t seem like a person to make an expression like that." She lifted her hands, forming a hammer. "I already consider you two my students. And I can''t have my students be unhappy right?" ... The various gangs arrived onlyter. The men dressed in ck, Kim Taewon and his group, and other people, all rough-looking, eyed that warehouse with different motives. They held various weapons, ready to charge out. "Alright, we can''t let the Hana gang get all the loot, okay?" "It''s gonna get bloody, so buckle up guys." "Let me get a piece of Do Jiwoon!" "This will mark the end of the Sivi group." Various voices resounded around the area, though they''d be silenced soon. As they were all chattering, a bright cloud appeared above the warehouse, catching their attention. And what came next, they could not have even dreamed of. Beams of light shot down, showering the warehouse with a destructive heat, until, in the end, all that was left was a charred ground. The men stood there agape, unsure of what to do. But one thing remained certain. The warehouse was gone. ... Meanwhile, as the various groups wondered if they were hallucinating, Lee Dojin arrived at his house. "I''m home," he said. "Just as I promised." His mother greeted him, sitting at the table. "Wee back." She had a warm smile, much unlike her usual self. Chapter 56: The End Is Near Chapter 56: The End Is Near "As a teacher, I really should not say this," Baek Ji-ah paused. "But I think you should have killed him." Dojin took a sip from his Iced Americano. "Your bad side is leaking out again." "Don''t switch the topic," she said, pouting, and her hands on her hips. "Then you tell me, was it a good idea to let him live?" "Hell no." Lee Dojinughed. "Well, probably not. I don''t really know this guy. But the old Do Jiwoon didn''t even repent after death." He ced his cup on the table. "But it''s the truth. I may not think that every person is redeemable, but I still believe in change. Would it not be interesting to see where he ends up? I for one am excited." He eyed Ji-ah. In the old days, she wasn''t exactly better than Do Jiwoon. Still, here she was. She sighed. "I can''t believe I am saying this, but that''s a naive thought." "It''s fine. If anything were ever to happen, I will take responsibility." He moved his head around. A new customer entered the cafe. In the distance, the waitress walked around, serving the many customers their drinks. At times, she''d chat with them and take a short break, but the manager was quick to call her back every time. "Aren''t you quite the hero?" Ji-ah chuckled, gulping down her tea. "I only hope that you do not get crushed by the heavy burdens on your shoulders." "Stop it, you''ll sound just like Jiwoon." He brushed her off. "Also, there''s actually a need for him besides ideological reasons." "Oh? Do tell, I''m all ears." "Well, it''s his Affinity. Can you guess what it is?" Dojin grinned, as if he was sharing an amusing joke. "I''ll give you a tip. His title is the Son of the Morning." It should be, seeing as his abilities were still the same. Ji-ah''s eyebrows shot up. "Wait, like the Devil?" As she said so, in no rtion, the waitress dropped her tray, with a coffee cup on it, creating a ng on the ground. Thankfully, nothing got damaged. "Oh, you do know the meaning. Just as I expected of a teacher. Though I thought you majored in physics?" "And math. Also, stop being so pedantic. I still know basic history or religion." She huffed. "What is it? Darkness? Death? No, Souls? You did tell me that was what he used." Her mind wanderedand her eyes tooas she searched through the brain for anything that may fit. "You''ve gotta think a lot more abstract than that." He shook his head. "The System bestows you with all kinds of things. Your Affinity of Light is a rather basic one. There is a lot you couldn''t even imagine, I suppose." "That reminds me, you never told me yours," Ji-ah grumbled. She wanted to sip her tea, but she had already drunk it all. Frustrated, she just spitballed random words. "I don''t know. Hatred. Rebellion. Abyss." "They are all kind of right. You''ve got to think bigger. Alright, I will just tell you." He lifted his hands as Ji-ah stared angry holes into him. "It''s Hell." Ji-ah tilted her head, she did not understand. "What? What is hell?" "No, I''m not describing anything. His Affinity is literally Hell." Lee Dojin shook his head, leaning into his chair. "Quite the obscene word, you know?" "That''s possible?" Ji-ah gasped in astonishment, her mouth hung low. Then again, she had learned, within The Mirage, everything was possible, which may be one more reason Lee Dojin believed in change. "So, like the underworld? The ce the damned go? With eternal fire and all that?" "It''s actually more of a cold ce. But yes." He shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, as annoying this guy is, and even though he has no use for humanity, I still need him. And I can''t have the Affinity vanish or jump to another person upon his death." Ji-ah pursed her lips. Now she was curious. "Why?" Lee Dojin crossed his legs. He ced his hands on the table. "Do Jiwoon is currently the only key that lets us enter Hell itself." ... Lee Dojin exhaled out loud. He massaged his temples, the wrinkles slowly loosening. Ji-ah had already gone awaythough they''d be meeting in the evening again. There wasn''t a particr reason for his sigh. If he had to say, it was many different things intermingling together that gave him his current mood. He looked around. It was a Sunday, but there still were no people around. The wind whistled silently through the empty street. The leaves rustled without any sounds. Lee Dojin brushed his hair aside, returning home. He had missed this Seoul, though he had never realized it. He never got to appreciate its beauty until it was far toote. There were maybe times that he had regretted not enjoying his past life, but mncholy was one of the greatest killers during war, and thus he quickly shoved it aside with the rest of his bottled-up emotions. But now, it was the other way around. He reminisced about the battlefield while standing in the intact Seoul. About the people that shared their hopes and futures and about those who had perished, fighting for humanity''s survival. A wry smile appeared on his face. He clenched his fist. "Now, the only proof I have of my battles is this." He opened his window. [Inheritor of the Universe, Lee Dojin Affinity: Choice (EX) Skills: Cosmic Steps (B) Titles: Inheritor of the Universe (EX), King of the Shadows (C) Rank 1/6101] "Great, I''m still rank 1." He nodded in satisfaction. It would have been a problem otherwise, as it was one of the requirements needed for his end-goal. The clouds pulled over the sun, casting a giant shadow on the buildings. Today wasn''t exactly cold, but it hadn''t been warm either. His footfalls echoed through the crossway. An oppressive atmosphere engulfed the whole city. It was as if the world knew: Tonight would be its end. Arriving home, he saw his mother sitting in front of the TV. She didn''t say anything. Dojin didn''t either, leaving the room without voices. Only the channels in the news droned on about random gibberish. He sat next to the dining table, on a chair, sorting his thoughts out. Resting his head on his head, he thought about many things. The Mirage had many ways to destroy the world, though its M.O. was always the same. At random ces of the world (this time, Earth), it created a dome where people could enter but not leave, for those already inside.. . well, tough luck. Within, the terrain could change to anything: a medieval city, a connection to another world, a simple dungeon, a tomb, a field of fantastical beasts, or even an alien site. It was impossible to tell. Inside, many things could happen, though the only way to rid the barrier surrounding the domes was finishing the systemsid-out quests. That could be anything too. A stealth mission, a roley setting, a battle royalewhat they all had inmon were their simrity to electronic games. In the end, even if the dome was to disappear, the world would not change back. No, the ruins assimted with Earth, creating an instantaneous wastnd. His mother ced a sandwich next to him. "Why are you grumbling," she asked him. "Eat something. It''s without any tomatoes. I know how you dislike them." Lee Dojin smiled, his tense face gradually releasing. "Thank you," he said, taking a bite. It wasn''t all bad news though. He didn''t pay great attention to it but with the domes, there appeared many mythical ores, elixirs, and artifacts, boosting the world''s Satisfaction with Life Index. The various world powers were quick to capitalize on that, even calling the subsequent era the Golden Age of Magic and hailing the System as a savior of Earth. The cause might be due to the one recurrent incentive given by The Mirage: [Destroy the Shadows.] For anyone who had listened to Dojin speak, that woulde as rather weird, as he always used these two names interchangeably. Those who survived long enough in the apocalypse would know. In reality, The Mirage, The System, and the Shadows were all just one entity. For that thing, it was almost like a game, pitting humans against non-existent threats and watching them gradually destroy themselves. The threats held no worth for humanity. It was all a sham. No, it had only one true goal. Destroying Earth''s legacy and swallowing the Gods of this world, usurping their power as its own. All these different factors were what made Lee Dojin sigh. As the sole being holding this information, he was burdened with a responsibility no one could imagine. Still, he had to keep going. For Earth. For humanity. Or at least, for himself. "Though that should alle at ater date," he muttered. For now, he still had to deal with the First Advent. Problem was, one keyponent remained missing for him to achieve the perfect clear in this Hidden Quest. "Besides Ji-ah, I still need one more yer." He didn''t want to ask Do Jiwoon for obvious reasons. And he could not create a new yer either. Not now, and not even two weeks before. Where was he to find another person with an Affinity? As his headache rose, his mother switched to the news. "Saudi Arabian prince Hassan pays Seoul an unexpected visit," the anchor said. "Is Korea strengthening its international rtionships?" The camera panned to a shot with a tanned man stepping out of a private ne. Innumerable shes brightened the screen. The man waved with a smile. A reporter approached him, asking what had brought him here. "A personal endeavor," he answered. "Let''s just say, I''m paying someone a visit." Chapter 57: Hassan Chapter 57: Hassan "So what''s on your mind? It''s the first time seeing you invite me," Kim heeson said and took a sip from his can. "Well, just sorting out my affairs, you could say." Lee Dojin rested his head on the rail-guard. "I also wanted to talk with Kim Jyejin, but she seemed busy." The wind of the subway blew his hair back. "It sounds like you are going to die." Heughed. "Wait, you aren''t, right?" "Hell no. I can''t afford to do so." The two of them entered the train, leaving for Gangnam. There was a nice PC room Heeson wanted to try out. "Well, that''s what I thought." He crushed the can in his hands and threw it into the trash, missing his first try, but getting it the second time. "As far as Kim Jyejin goes, I heard she had a big confrontation with her uncle. Something about him providing Do Jiwoon and the Sivi gang with the warehouse. In general, something a lot moreplicated than I can understand." Heeson shrugged his shoulders. Lee Dojin gave him a questioning nce. "Now how do you know that?" "She wrote me on Ka-talk." "Aren''t you two good friends now." He chuckled. "And to think what we had been just before New Years''. I''d call this progress." "Can''t really say anything about that," Heeson said with a wry smile. "So, what happened to Oh Sanabek?" Lee Dojin stopped walking. His expression did not change, but a queer silence hung around them, wishing to break out. "He''s dead." "Oh." Kim Heeson nodded. He had nothing more to say, though innumerable thoughts swirled in his mind. After all, Oh Sanbaek was someone he knew and regrly hung around withthough he wouldn''t particrly call him his friend. If anything, he only hung around Park Wonho. Still, death wasn''t easy to swallow. Though a long goodbye, those, he knew quite well. The two of them continued walking, saying nothing. Almost as if to give a moment of silence for their ssmate that had perished. Only when arriving at the PC room did they turn cheery again. Kim Heesons eyes glimmered. This ce was everything he had been hoping for. "You do really love games, do you?" He nodded. "They are fun. They pull you into a different world and let you escape your current one. I don''t think everyone ys games just to run away from reality, but for me, it makes me forget for a moment all the problems I have." He inserted the money into the machine. "Though I suppose a lot of people say it''s a waste of time." "It''s not a waste if you enjoyed doing it." Lee Dojin lightly smiled. "I mean, what''s the point in surviving without something to live for, right?" "True. True." He took a seat in the corner. He liked ces like these as there usually was no light shining onto the monitor. "You know, I''ve been having a great ideately." "Would you look at that?" Lee Dojin took a seat right next to him. "Don''t hold out on me, what is it?" Kim Heeson mulled over his words. "Well, it''s hard to say. But I''ve been thinking a lot about what went on yesterday and what the cause may have been. Now obviously, I don''t know the whole story, but a story that ends in tragedy is never a fun one right?" He opened a MOBA game. "For that Do Jiwoon too, he only got so far because he used the darkness in the people''s heart. Hell, if I hadn''t changed, I might have gotten caught up in the whole thing too." Lee Dojin lightly pped Kim Heesons head. He ordered a cup of ramen from hisputer. "Get to the point, what are you trying to say?" "Well, how about we start our own group?" Heeson rubbed his hair. From his pocket, he took out a smoke. "You know, but more as a protector, for those with broken dreams." Lee Dojin gave him a surprised stare. Then, heughed. "You''re hrious." His eyes turned into little half-moons. "Really, you sound just like a person I know. It''s so strange. You wanna make a utopia or something too?" "Wait, are ya making fun of me?" He clicked his tongue and gave a wry smile. "Not at all. It was apliment." Lee Dojin shook his head. "I said it before, but it really is strange how fate works, I give you that." He leaned into the soft chair. "That idea bears a lot of responsibilities, you know? Can you handle it?" "Wait. Me? Why me?" His eyebrows shot up. "I was more thinking about you?" He nced at Lee Dojin. If it was him, Heeson was sure it would be fine. The old him was nowhere to be seen anymore. At times, he even felt an unknown sadness seeing his change, as if something had disappeared, but more often, he simply felt free. The mere sight of Lee Dojin, freely living his life even with all its burdens made him loosen up too. Heeson was sure he wouldn''t be the only one to feel so. That was why, if anyone could do it, it was Lee Dojin. However, that guy was quick to cut him down. "It''s your idea, shouldn''t you be the leader? I, for one, am tired of leading." He opened the MOBA game too. "But don''t worry. If you can promise to never go down the dark path, I''ll help you when I''m free. Or what, you just want to stay in the cushy passenger seat?" "Well, it isn''t that." He paused. "It just sounds.. . a little overwhelming." Truth be told, he had always been by the side of leaders, watching their backs and seeing them grow. "But, I guess, a little exciting too." "I can imagine." He nodded. "Alright, I''ll help you if you ever make a group." He chose his character. "Though in the future, you''d be calling these things a guild." ... After the Sun has left its zenith, Lee Dojin and Kim Heeson walked out of the PC room. Dojin stretched, while Heeson squinted his eyes, not yet used to the light. "That was fun," Kim Heeson said. "Well, you spent most of your time shouting at me." He scratched his head. "Sorry, I get a little heated up when ying games." The two of them talked about random stuff until they realized that a ck sedan van was parked in front of them. Unlike with the Sivi gang, this one did not look shady, even though the tinted windows gave it an air of secrecy. Surrounding that ce was a couple of paparazzi, trying to take a photo. "Maybe it''s a celebrity," Heeson muttered. But Lee Dojin felt differently. Stepping out, a few burly men with sunsses blocked the sight of any random passerby''s. However, coincidental or not, they left the sight for Dojin and Heeson free. Thest one to step out of the car was a tall, tan man wearing an expensive white robe. He had short ck hair, and his eyes were green, shining like emeralds. They did shine, as he eyes Lee Dojin with a smile. Kim Heeson stood there confused. He didn''t quite understand what was going on. These days, he got that feeling a lot. He turned his head to Lee Dojin, but he only saw his stony expression, letting out no emotion. Hassan hastily approached them, as if fearing they may disappear at any time. "There''s no mistake, it is you!" A grin formed on his handsome face. "Who?" Kim Heeson tilted his head. He would have remembered a shy foreigner like him, as he did not go to Itaewon that often. He wasn''t one to read or watch the news, so he was unaware of any Saudi Princesnding in Seoul. "Guessing by the timing of your rank-up and how the best way to earn points was at 1 pm, I guessed you were probably from one of the Eastern countries." He nodded. "However, I was unsure of where exactly you''d be, so I traveled around Asia looking for a clue. Thankfully, I had my ability by my side, otherwise, I could kiss my dreams goodbye." He stood in front of them, casting a shadow over their bodies. Kim Heesons brows furrowed. "You speak great Korean, even though you don''t seem from here." What was that guy bbering about? Hassan turned his attention to Heeson. His expression immediately turned cold and uninviting. "Excuse me, but I don''t do monkey shows." "Listen here," Kim Heeson grumbled with an angry smile, "This might work in your home country, but here in Korea, we aren''t keen on disrespectful behavior. So why don''t I teach you some manners?" He stretched his hand out. With such a conspicuous robe, he was asking to get suplexed. However, things did not go as nned. As he was about to grab it, Hassan disappeared, and all he touched was thin air. He almost stumbled from the leftover inertia. His eyebrows shot up, unsure of what happened. Turning around, he saw the tan man standing behind Lee Dojin and him. Hassan gave a slight bow, startling the security guard with his unorthodox move; But he could not care less, as he was currently at the apex of his excitement. A person like Heeson was the least of his worries. "It''s nice to meet you, Inheritor of the Universe." Lee Dojin sighed. He was currently beyond surprised. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he saw right. "Oh, it''s you. What was your name again? Hassan, right?" He gave a dry chuckle. "Or do you want me to call you The Prophet?" Chapter 58: Tonights Plans Chapter 58: Tonights ns Hassan shrunk back, his eyebrows shooting up. "Wait, how do you know that?" Lee Dojin stepped forward. He had to lift his head just to look him in his eyes. This guy was really tall. "I suppose we have a lot to talk about," he said. Kim Heeson watched from the side. He asked, "Do you know that guy?" "Well, it''s a bit moreplicated than that." Lee Dojin scratched his cheek. If he really had to answer, then it would be a no. However, just like Baek Ji-ah and Do Jiwoon, The Prophet Hassan wouldter be a famous person within the apocalypse. Just as his title suggested, this Saudi Prince had the ability of Future Sight, and he was one of the few Lee Dojin did not know the Affinity of. There were many different rumors going aroundFuture, Oracle, and even Divinity; But Dojin never believed them. In the first ce, he had little to do with this guy in his past life. He only knew Hassan from his trademark ability: Worlds Eye. Whatever ability that was, it allowed the prince to project himself up the sky and watch over everything happening on earth, his sight passing through obstacles, corners, and magic. He still remembered it clearly an elegant but ruthless tan man, now in his early thirties, his long ck hair flowing down his face, and the cold eyes of a tyrant, as if watching his subjects. The current Hassan did not have that appearance. Instead, he even looked a little goofy, as his mouth failed to close, still astonished by Lee Dojin''s urate guess. "Are you also a Soothsayer? Or am I that famous already?" Lee Dojin ignored his question. He sighed. "What''s with all these big names gathering around me even before the apocalypse?" The Mother of Ravens, The Son of The Morning, and now The Prophet. What a wild, yet incredible line-up. Well, though these names all paled inparison to The Lightbringer Lee Dojin (even though he was loath to admit so). "By the way, your Korean is great." "Thanks, learningnguages is my hobby," Hassan said with a smile. "Wait, that''s beside the point. Since you know who I am, we can just move to the important stuff, right?" "Fine. I know a good ce around here." Lee Dojin slicked his hair back. He looked at Kim Heeson. "I guess this is goodbye for now. Take care." "Uh, yes, sure." He nodded absentmindedly. The current Dojin was always mysterious, thus he didn''t question it, but even as he walked back home, thest sentence remained in his head, as if a long farewell. Though he did not quite understand it until a long whileter. Lee Dojin stepped into the van with Hassan. Frankly speaking, he had never been in a car with this much space, but that was of little essence. Hassan talked. "I''m right, am I? You are the Inheritor of the Universe, right?" "You are," Dojin answered sinctly. The two of them sat in the back, their words only for each other to hear. The man''s face brightened up. "I knew it, I knew it! See, I saw you in my dreams, you know." "Hold up, you are moving too fast." Lee Dojin stopped him. "Shouldn''t you introduce yourself first? I''ll start. My name is Lee Dojin, or as you may know it, the Inheritor of the Universe. I was born and currently live in Korea. Currently, I''m in thest year of High-school, soon starting University. What about you?" "Sorry, you are right. I was a bit too excited there. No matter how many times I hear this title, I can''t help but shiver." He clenched his fist. "Well, but I am Hassan, and as you said, I go by The Prophet. I''m currently 22, though, in Korean age, that''d be 23. My favorite fruit is oranges, my blood type is O- and I like long walks down the beach." He paused, thinking. "Oh, and you may have heard from the news, I''m a prince from Saudi Arabia." The car continued driving to Lee Dojin''s rmended spot until they quietly left Gangnam without anyone noticing. The whole ride, Dojin watched the Seoul scenery, his hair fluttering in from the outside wind, and his thoughts remained unknown. "It''s beautiful, isn''t it," he asked Hassan. "I suppose so," thetter answered, though he hadn''t paid much heed to the scenic. "Well,pared to the ce you are from, this may look a little too grey, but I do think it has its charms." He rested his head on his fist. "You know, I''ve traveled through a lot of ces, many much more beautiful than this, but there is just something magical about this city. The way it pulls you in.. . it would be a shame for it all to disappear." Hassan did not reply. For the whole ride, he looked at Lee Dojin, trying to decipher what he was thinking. Arriving at the designated location, they came to the national museum of history, a spot that Lee Dojin had only visited yesterday. Naturally, nothing much had changed, though, ironically, a historical event had urred here. However, now there were an entire set of new people here. As they walked around (and the passerby''s eyed the bodyguards with curiosity), Dojin could still see the little smudges of blood on the ground. "As much as you endear Seoul," Hassan said. "You didn''t really n on taking me sightseeing now, do you?" "I like not only Seoul and Korea but the entire Earth too. Which is why I''d be willing to sacrifice anything for humanity," Lee Dojin told him. "But that''s not why we are here. I just thought this ce would be a familiar one for another guest I am inviting." He nced at Hassan. "If you don''t mind, of course." Hassan nodded. "Knock yourself out." "Meanwhile, there''s a nice cafe nearby, would you like to lounge there?" "Sure, I always wanted to try the famous Iced Americano in Korea," he said. "Say, why do Koreans always order these?" ... Lee Dojin swirled his drink, while observing the bodyguards sitting at another table. They looked out of ce with their muscr bodies on a tiny chair. "Do these goons follow you around all day without saying anything? It''s kind of creepy." He drank his Iced Americano. "Your security is tighter than the presidents." ".. . Have you been listening to me the past hour?" Hassan''s brows furrowed though he kept an enigmatic smile. "I told you the world is going to end." "I heard you," Lee Dojin said nonchntly. "You know you aren''t the first one to tell me that? Is it a trend these days?" "Why are you messing around? I''m being serious," Hassan whispered. "You are 1st ce on the rankings list, right? Do you know what that means? You don''t expect this to be the end right? No, No, this is just the beginning. I''ve caught a glimpse of the future through my abilitieoh, wait, I''m not done with that," he turned to the waitress and said, taking the half-eaten cake out of her hands. "Anyways, I''m the first to find you right?" "That is correct." "Yes!" Hassan pumped his fist in the air. "I knew my ability woulde in handy. See, my brothers were talking behind my back, calling it useless, but this ought to show them." Lee Dojin ced his cup down. "That''s good for you. So what now?" Hassan tilted his head. ".. . Honestly, I didn''t think I''d get this far." "Okay, we are done here." Lee Dojin took his jacket and stood up. As soon as he did so, the guards at the other table did too, staring Lee Dojin down, almost daring him to leave. He smiled in surprise. "Oh, what''s this?" "Wait, wait, no, you are misunderstanding, they do this all the time, I''m sorry! " Hassan said nervously. He red at the guards, urging them to stand down. This man was Rank 1 on the leaderboard. Even higher than that Bodhisattva whom he had met with his brothers. Even now, thinking back, his sweat ran backward. Not even his father was that terrifying. And this guy in front of him stood even higher. It would be unwise to anger him. "I will be honest. I am here for a favor." He ced his head down. "Oh, a favor? From me? You don''t even know me." "But you are strong, right?" Hassan looked up. "I can tell you are. I have an eye for such things, and now meeting you, I am certain. Never in my life have I seen someone this powerful." He gulped. How was he to formte this sentence? He lowered his head even more. "Dojin, please, I want to be strong too." He clenched his fist, veins popping out. "Strong enough to beat my brothers, strong enough to impress my father, and strong enough to drive out this eternal insecurity in my heart. Please." Lee Dojin crossed his arms, thinking. "Hmm. OK." Hassan''s eyes glimmered. "Wait, really?" "But I need your help too." He lifted a finger. "And quite urgently." "No problem at all." The prince took Lee Dojin''s hands and shook them vigorously. "Tell me, what do you need? Money? Women? Influence? Whatever it is, I can give it to you." "Well, let''s wait first. The other person has just arrived." He turned around, looking at the door, and in came a young woman with long ck hair and red lips. The woman possessed an ephemeral beauty as if the world''s light existed only to illuminate her. Lee Dojin waved. "We are here." Baek Ji-ah looked around and her face lit up. She took a seat with the two of them, though she stopped midway. "Wait, I saw you on TV! That Saudi Prince!" "Finally someone that knows me." Hassan nodded in satisfaction. "So, with everyone here, why don''t you tell me what you need?" His heart beat incessantly, awaiting the order. "It''s simple, really. A non-issue. Ji-ah already knows it too." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. Carefree chatter and melodious tableware resounded through the cafe. A scent of baked almonds wafted through the air. Thest sunray shone through the window, illuminating his face. "Tonight I am ending the world. Wanna join?" Chapter 59: Mirage, Show Me Your World! Chapter 59: Mirage, Show Me Your World! "Excuse me, we are closing soon," the waitress said with an apologetic smile. She nced out the window, seeing it was already night. Hassan looked at his watch. "I see, time really passes fast when having fun." He nodded. "We should continue talking somewhere else." Ji-ah and Dojin nodded. They took their respective jackets and put them on. Lee Dojin had already paid, and Ji-ah didn''t order anything, seeing as she was here only for a short time. The three of them left, with the bodyguards following right behind them. It was a queer sight, but the people in question were not bothered by it. "So, what exactly do you mean by ending the world," Hassan asked him. Dojin ced his hands behind his head. "Oh, you are still on to that? You didn''t ask so I thought you understood." "Of course not! I just didn''t ask more since there were too many people around." He turned around, looking at his guards. "You know, just because they protect me doesn''t mean they are on my side." He paused. "They may not understand me now, but if they record the stuff, we are toast." "I see, I see." Dojin nodded with understanding. Ji-ahs twirled her thumbs. Her eyes glimmered, though she hadn''t said anything. Hassan felt weirded out by thatdy''s staring, but he too stayed silent. Who was thatdy in the first ce? She didn''t seem like the warrior type. Then again, the Inheritor of the Universe was a lot younger than he imagined too. "It is fine," Hassan said. "I have a n." "Will you share?" He nced back. The guards nodded at him. "Well, those guys are still listening, are they?" He arrived at his car. Hassan watched them enter one by one, until thest guard remained, holding the door open for them. Lee Dojin rubbed his neck. "If you have a n, it better start now." "What a coincidence. It does." He smiled. And, out of the blue, shoved the guard down, who stumbled due to the unexpected attack. "Run!" He shouted, bolting. Lee Dojin and Baek Ji-ah watched it unfold, baffled. "Is this guy serious," he muttered. Hassan yelled loudly. "What are you guys waiting for? Let''s go!" "Hassan!" The guard pushed himself up, yelling something in a foreignnguage Lee Dojin did not understand. His face was furious. The car doors opened, and one person after another walked out, looking like a clown show. Ji-ah stepped back, slowly, then a lot faster. "I think we should bolt first." "Agreed." Lee Dojin retreated, running backward until he was far enough where he could turn his back on them. He saw Hassan was only a small dot now. How was a guy thisrge so fast? Clearly, he had done some practicing. To the left was Ji-ah, grabbing her dress and running like a sprinter. Not verydylike. Then again, what wasdylike in the first ce? He shook his head, scattering the useless thoughts. When he was fast enough and obscured by a corner, Lee Dojin used his ability to phase away. A few minutester, with the pesky guards gone, the three found themselves in an empty park, though only two of them were breathing heavily. "You know," Ji-ah said, while gasping, "Your skill is really unfair. I can''t believe you left me like that." She breathed out, looking into the sky, her chest rising rapidly. Hassan had his hands on his knees. "What skill," he asked. "Oh, you mean the Affinity." He didn''t harp on. Lee Dojin let those two rest. "It''s still hard you know? Using it the right way. You have to be very precise with it." "You don''t seem like a precise person." "Enough," Hassan interrupted. "Tell me, what do you mean by ending the world? I thought you liked humanity? Why would you destroy it? Will you be the one to start the apocalypse?" He gave him a re, that was somewhat malicious but more timid. "Rest assured, I hold no such intentions." Lee Dojin lifted his hand, clearing the misunderstanding. "The one to end the world is what humanity will soon refer to as the shadows. In fact, it''s gonna happen in less than 24 hours. We have no control over that." "I see." Hassan nodded gravely. "It''s good to know you aren''t a viin, though I still don''t understand." "Well, instead of waiting for the First Advent to descend, we will confront it head-on, ringing in the worlds'' end, but in our own terms." He shrugged his shoulders. "See, instead of being surprised by an unexpected end, it''s much better to make our own." Hassan held his chin. "I get it, but I somewhat don''t." Ji-ah watched him by the side. Atst, she couldn''t hold her tongue anymore and had to ask, "Sorry, Sir, no, Your Highness, may I get an autograph?" Hassan tilted his head. "Excuse me?" "Oh, I''m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself." She bowed. "I''m Baek Ji-ah. A teacher at an unimportant school. Currently, that guy is my student, and he was the one to awaken my Affinity." Her eyes glimmered. "But no need to introduce yourself. I know all about you. Hassan, 23 years old, favorite fruit oranges and blood type O- right? Though I didn''t know you would have an affinity too." ".. ." Hassan was at a loss for words. He nced at Lee Dojin, asking for help, but thetter only shook his head. Ji-ah was a history buff, alright. Meeting someone from a royal linage was bound to work her up. "Please do not call me Highness. It feels very cold." "Let''s go, we have a ce to be," Dojin said, pulling them along. Hassan followed right behind. He still had questions left. "But what are we doing? Like, how are we going to end the world? You are being very abstruse." Ji-ah patted him on his shoulder. "You''ll get used to it." She nodded in understanding. "Uh, yes, right," he replied awkwardly. Thatdy was weird. He noted it was best to ignore her. "Alright guys, no goofing around." Lee Dojin entered the subway station. "I will warn you guys beforehand, this will be incredibly dangerous," he said in a serious tone. "If you are not up for it, I understand." Hassan straightened up. It was strange how someone so young held such argemandeering aura. "But I don''t understand. Though I am thankful for you helping me, I don''t get why you''d choose me. There are many people stronger and more trustworthy than me." The three of them waited for the train. There weren''t many people around during this time. "Well, I needed exactly three people. Or alone. But it doesn''t work with two, and it would be sad to leave Ji-ah out, after everything we went through, so, why not?" A soothing mechanical voice announced the arrival of their ride. "But do not worry. I will not let you die. Iy my life on it." He smiled. "You can trust me. I''ll try my best." "Is that so." Hassan gulped. "Then, where are we going?" "To the Lotte World Tower," Lee Dojin answered. "Or in other words, the highest point of South Korea." ... "What abilities do you guys have," Lee Dojin asked them. Currently, heavy winds were barraging them, as they stood on the rooftop of the fifth tallest building in the world. It was heavy work getting up there, evading guards, sneaking through floors, and breaking locks, but the night-view alone made it worth it. At this height, they couldn''t even see the people anymore. Only innumerable lights of civilization glistened fiercely as if topensate for the starless night. Ji-ah felt her knees weak, looking down. "What did you ask? I can''t hear you here." "I asked you what skill you have. I know, but Hassan doesn''t so let''s get this sorted out first," he said, this time louder. "My skill is called Cosmic Steps, Rank B. It creates innumerable nodes in the area around me, allowing me to phase through them at will. No, it''s not teleporting. Do not ask." Hassan squinted his eyes. The wind hurt his eyes. "Are you sure you should tell me this? Putting aside my intentions, what if my brothers nted a bug on me?" "We really don''t have time for this, it''s almost midnight," he yelled back. It really was loud here. "Tell your siblings toe fight me themselves if they really want to." Hassan sighed. "My skill allows me to see the future. It''s called String Retina. Whenever I want to find something, a linealmost like a stringappears for me to see, leading me to it, even if it is something abstract. The further it is, the greater strain on my eyesight." He paused. "Also, my Affinity is Sight." Lee Dojin''s eyes widened in surprise. "I didn''t ask for your Affinity." "Take it as a gift of friendship. So what about thedy?" "I can create light pirs of destruction." She brushed the hair out of her face. "Pretty simple, right?" "d we had the talk," Dojin said. "So you all have done the Hidden Quest, right? There are quite a lot of hidden rules there, just as expected, and I think you found quite a lot too." "Oh, I know these well," Hassan interjected, excited. "Quantity over quality. Never use it in the night. Do not invite other yers." He took a moment to think. "Ah, yes, and the shadows only rise as afar as your sight goes." "Correct." Lee Dojin nodded. "Well, tonight, we are breaking all of these." "Huh?" Lee Dojin did not exin. He only grabbed the two of them by their hands. Then, activating his ability, he looked for the highest node. Was it about a kilometer? This must have been his reach. It shall do. Using his one-time chance, he teleported all three of them up high into the sky. "Holy shit, what the fuck!" Hassan''s mouth cked, and he turned pale. He suddenly felt himself free-floating, and looking down, his feet turned numb. "I''m falling! I''m falling!" Ji-ah waved her hands like a bird, and she too screamed. "Dojin! What''s wrong with you!" She saw herself among clouds. And it was incredibly cold. The feeling of exasperation was an understatement. "This far out, I think we can see everything." The three of them were high in the air, though it wouldn''t be long until gravity pulled them back. Lee Dojinughed loudly. His clothes fluttered in the wind, letting the breeze in. He looked at the sky. Up there, he only saw one lone star. he felt it. That was the important oneThe Mirage. It wasing. "You''re crazy," Ji-ah shouted. Hassan''s eyes rolled back. "Mom, is that you," he muttered. Lee Dojin paid heed to neither. "I wonder, how far does the darkness reach here? He took out the three vials he had gotten from one of his achievements: sk of the Spaceworm. "Drink these, it allows you to survive without the need for breathing." Hassan thought he was close to fainting, still, he took the sk and downed it. His eyes remained glued down. "That''s good and all, but how are you nning onnding?" He stared into the deep universe. The rest was full of darkness.. . or shadows. "I''m not." Hisughter resounded throughout Seoul. He felt goosebumps running upon him. The excitement was riveting. "Guys, what do you say? Shall we kickstart the end?" The Trailer wasn''t a particrlyplicated one. Putting the tricks and unwritten rules aside, the Quest was only about fighting the literal darkness. If one wished to interpret it, many ideas may pop up. But Lee Dojin didn''t care for philosophy. He only remembered the blood of hisrades on his hands. Even now, waking up, he saw his palms red. In his ear rang uncountablest words, scratching at his skull, wishing to break out. He remembered all of them. And he carried them on, silently, the heavy burden, withoutints. "Though one sentence is currently drumming in my brain. A friend who also joined the trailer told me, [Never fight against the shadows at night..." Lee Dojin formed his hand into a gun, aiming high. His eyes had full sight of the world. "...unless you are Rank 1.]" ''Mirage, show me the world.'' That was the hidden chant to join the trailer. However, the chant for the Hidden Quest was another one. A stupid one, one that made Ji-ahugh in derision. Still, every time, without fail, all yers recited it like clockwork to fight against the shadows in hopes of fortune. Now, Lee Dojin too would utter them again, though now, it was for disaster: He opened his mouth. "Let there be light." And thus began The First Advent. Chapter 60: 1001 Nights Chapter 60: 1001 Nights "Huh?" Hassan looked around. He felt around his body. "We''ve.. . stopped falling." "What?" Baek Ji-ah opened her eyes again. She took in the scenery. "No way, you''re right!" The two of them realized they were now afloat. Even though there was no floor to rest their feet on, they remained in the air. It was as if they were swimming. No, to be more exact, it was as if they stood in space. Hassan''s eyes shot wide open. He swung his arms around, feeling the weightlessness. "This is the strangest feeling." Baek Ji-ah agreed, giving him a simple nod. She walked around, moving up and down, without feeling an ounce of resistance. If she had to describe it, she felt like the wind was carrying around This was better than any attraction in a theme park. "Wow, this is fun." "Not to put a damper on the mood, but we are currently in an apocalypse here. Please focus." Hassan kept his eyes on the city below him. He felt like a ruler overlooking his subject. "Even if you say that, there doesn''t seem to be a lot of change." The man couldn''t tell anything from this far away. At most, there was no light there, but that wasn''t anything unusual at night. He certainly imagined a world catastrophe to look a lot more gigantic. Lee Dojin dismissed him. "Moving on, I''m sending you guys something." Out of the blue, a message popped up in front of Hassan and Ji-ah. The two of them stepped back in surprise. They both were used to The System already, though this was the first time it popped out without warning. [The Inheritor of the Universe invites you to his party. Special Quest: 1001 Nights (1/3) ept/Decline] Hassan''s brows furrowed. "What is this?" "A party request. You know, just like in RPG games," Lee Dojin said, "A group of characters adventuring together, solving missions given by an NPC. You never yed these before?" "Of course I did," Ji-ah interjected, "I''m just unsure what this is all about." Hassan agreed. "In the first ce, I did not even know a function like that existed. No, there really was no indicator of such thing at all." He rubbed his chin, amazed. "I knew that there were many things The Mirage was hiding, but I couldn''t have guessed this at all. How intriguing." He eyed Lee Dojin with suspicion. "Which really makes me wonder how you knew." "Well, let''s not sweat the small stuff, okay?" Lee Dojin walked forward, stretching his arms out. "It''s simple really. Why do you think I tried so harding in 1st ce? It wasn''t because of some vanity thing, or that useless title. No, it''s because rank 1 gets one special privilege. That is, to challenge the Hidden Quest at night." He grinned. Looking into the deep universe. This was what he had been working so hard for since the day he transmigrated. "Buckle up. I''m about to show you guys a whole new world." "If this is a reference to the Adin Movie, I''ll have you know, the story is most likely based in Syri-" Hassan could not finish his sentence, as a cough interrupted him from speaking. At the same time, Ji-ah started to have the same symptoms. She had coughed a lot in her life, but this one was different. Not like any illness she had before. She did not feel breathless. It was more as if her lungs were wishing to expand, breaking out her body. "Oh, you two should really ept the party invite," he advised them. "To exin, you guys know, when ites to the trailer, The Mirage doesn''t really like outsiders. Any yer not associated with the activation of the Hidden Quest cannote in contact with the shadows. They just slip right off, as if from different dimensions." He pointed at both of them. "Just like right now." "Puhah, you should''ve told me earlier!" Hassan promptly epted the invite. Soon enough, the aches inside him lessened. The same went for Ji-ah. "Wait, does that mean.. ." "Your guess is correct." Lee Dojin nodded with a smile. He stared at his party status. 3/3. It was full. He closed the message and faced them again. "Through me activating the Hidden Quest so high up and with my line of sight unobscured, we have created the greatest shadow entity The Mirage has ever seen. As of where it is," He vaguely gestured at everything, "Well, we are currently inside of it." ... The Phone fell out of Charlie White''s hands. An angry voice screamed from the other side, but he had no mind to answer. He wanted to, yet, he found no way to exin what he was seeing. "Well Sir," he gulped, looking at the monitor. "It would seem there is a gigantic light beam illuminating half of Seoul." His superior shouted at him, "Charlie, what the hell are you talking about! Have you been drinking on the job again!" Their anger was evident. "I swear, this time, I will make sure to write you up for it!" "I swear upon my life. I hadn''t had a mind-altering substance since 3 months." Charlie picked up the phone and squinted his eyes. "No, if I had to exin, it was like all the shadows in the world had disappeared from that city, making it now as bright as daytime there." "That makes no sense at all!" The man mmed his fist on something hard. "There''s no such thing as shadows disappearing! The shadows are only the absence of light. It can''t disappear if it hadn''t existed in the first ce. The light has toe from somewhere, so get to the bottom of it!" The noise of porcin breaking echoed in Charlie''s ears. "Unless the fundamentalws of the universe are switched, whatever you are saying is beyond logic." "Sir, with all due respect, you have not fought in the Hidden Quest like I did." He straightened his back. His voice grew serious. "If there is one thing able to destroymon sense, it is The Mirage." That statement shut his superior up. Even if they wanted to say something, Charlie was undeniably right. "Wait, I see something!" He suddenly leaned into his monitor. "Attention! There''s some sort of dark cloud floating in the sky!" ... "This is bogus. Complete bogus." The old man''s whole body shook, taking in the information his servant has given him. "You are sure this is correct?" "Your Holiness, I would never dare lie to you." She bowed her head down. Though ever so slightly, she snuck a quick nce, then blushed. The old man bit the nail of his thumb. "Who could it be? He''s ruining everything." His mind rumbled, thinking about the rank list. Then, a name popped up in his head. "Inheritor of the Universe. It has to be him!" So that person resided in Korea. He grit his teeth. He knew it, he had to get rid of him. In this world, no one was allowed to stand holier than him. ... The former rank 1, the Bodhisattva looked up the sky and whistled. "Would you look at that? Crazy. So the Inheritor of the Universe is currently residing in Asia? Lucky me." Though he did not get any news, he could still see the light beam from afar and was able to piece the information together. In the first ce, Lee Dojin had learned about The 1001 Nights Quest through him. In the past life, that man was the only one who hadpleted it, and all through sheer coincidence. After reaching rank 1, the man had been bored out his mind, and just to kill some time, he decided to fight the shadows at night.. . because why not? It was in this world too where he had done the same, though looking at the gigantic shadow hovering in the sky, his achievements seemed benign. "Maybe I should pay them a visit?" He cupped his hand over his eyes. That size was incredible. "Well, that is if they are alive after this." A shiver ran down his spine. "Incredible," was all he could say. To think there was a greater lunatic than him. The world really was vast. How fun. ... In Saudi Arabia, a middle-aged man was rubbing his temple. He was tan, just like Hassan, and had short curly hair. His wrinkles gave away his years and the glimmer in his eyes his experience. Only from his looks alone, he appeared to be a wise and learned man. Yet, nothing could have prepared him for this news. "Your Majesty," the attendant said coyly, "Based on the analysis of the timing and ce, it is very likely that your son, Hassan, has something to do with this." The man sighed. "What am I going to do with that troublemaker." Being the ruler of a country was hard work. ... Currently, the whole of Seoul, no South Korea, was in bedazzled confusion. Kim Heesonid in his bed, looking at his phone when suddenly a bright light shone through his window. He squinted his eyes and instinctively cursed at his sister foring homete, until he realized the light came from the outside. "Who the fuck is ying with a shlight?" He opened the door and prepared to scream, though he was soon shocked mute. Not just him, but almost everyone else still awake came out their doors, faces full of confusion. Couples, hugging each other, kids gingerly walking out, men who came home from work, and women without make-up, ready for bed, all looking outside to see what themotion was about; Some still had their pajamas on. Though they weren''t prepared for what they saw. Kim Heesons phone fell out of his hands. He looked at the clock just to be sure. It was midnight. No doubt about it. Yet.. . why was the outside as bright as day? "You''ve got to be kidding me." As his words left his mouth, something paranormal happened to the room. Suddenly, the darkness within started wriggling, as if alive, and it slid out his house, leaving the ce bright even without anymps on. Kim Heeson fell to the ground and watched the surreal ck cloud fly out of his window, up into the sky, where a giant shadowy fog obscured the whole city, as if someone had dropped fresh ink. ncing through the streets, he saw innumerable more ck clouds escape through opened doors and windows, rising up into the void, like bubbles to the surface. His hand shook, utterly afraid. "What the hell is going on here?" ... "When ites to the end of the world, it has to be this grand." Lee Dojin overlooked everything happening from within the shadows. A grin, almost fiendish formed on his face, as he watched the shadow growrger andrger. He waited until Seoul had no more shadows left and was now d in enhaloing light as if a city from heaven. Ji-ah and Hassan readied themselves. Now, one final time, they hade toplete the Hidden Quest. Chapter 61: Red Eyes Chapter 61: Red Eyes In essence, what Lee Dojin had nned was simple. In the first ce, he wasn''t the kind of person who could make ingenious ns, working step by step while predicting 10 miles ahead. And he never nned to be that kind of person. There were many people more suitable for that. Ever since ascertaining he had transmigrated, his goals before the First Advent were as follows: 1. Join the Trailer 2. Reach Rank 1 3. Do the Special Quest 4. Receive the reward uponpletion. Anything in-between was just filler for him. That didn''t mean the things he did were any less important, no, one could argue that putting Do Jiwoon in his ce would have the greatest long-term effect, but he ced the reward here as the biggest priority, as this was the only ce he could get it. Ji-ah looked around her. She felt her whole body tingling, thinking how she was inside the enemy. "What do we do now?" Lee Dojin followed her sight. "I''m unsure, quite honestly." Heughed. "In the first ce, I''m rather thankful that we are even able to breathe in here. If we didn''t have that sk, that thing would have already killed us." "You''ve got to be kidding me." Ji-ah ced her hand on her face. "Now, now, don''t despair," Lee Dojin said. "As long as we are inside, it can''t really get to us." Hassan approached him. "What about the people outside?" "It''s fine," Dojin assured him. He nced down at Seoul. Though it seemed as if everything was shrouded in darkness for them, the reality was quite the opposite, he imagined. Right now, the city should be engulfed in light. "Well, as long as you aren''t a yer, that is." This Special Quest was the reason he decided not to initiate people like Kim Jyejin or Heeson into the trailer. Just as it was with the Hidden Questthough the darkness ignored civiliansany yer not associated with its activation will be mercilessly attacked by the summoned shadows without being able to fight back. The shadows could hit the yer, but not vice-versa. That was the rule. And putting aside how he could not ascertain their safety upon the start of the Quest (and its high fatality rate), the Rank 1 Quest only allowed a maximum of 3 people. "I suppose Jiwoon is having an incredibly hard time right now?" He chuckled as if amusing. With the dark fog hanging above Seoul, any yer within proximity was bound to be barraged by countless invincible shadows. Currently, anyone not part of his party would be fighting a fruitless endeavor, if they hadn''t suffocated at the beginning already. "Though I don''t remember anyone else who joined the Trailer in Seoul?" He rubbed his head and thought hard. Even if the people he initiated into The Mirage miraculously survived Trailer, they''d without a doubt die as Lee Dojin activated the Rank 1 Quest. He only trusted Ji-ah, as she was the Mother of Ravens (though even for her it was a close call). The ck cloud suddenly rumbled, cutting Dojin''s thoughts short. "R.. . est. Peace.. ." A low voice resounded throughout the darkness. Hassan took a few steps back, he cocked his head, searching for the source. "What was that? What was that?" Lee Dojin''s eyes shot wide open. His mouth cked down, enough for "Unbelievable." A burst of dryughter escaped him. He didn''t know whether to be happy or scared. Ji-ah watched his reaction, unsure what to make of it. "Is something wrong? What was that voice?" That was," he paused, "the shadow." A pair of red eyes appeared in the distance, great of size, and with two ck slits as pupils, staring directly at them, like a snake would watch its prey. Hassan and Baek Ji-ah felt their heart sink from fear. Cold sweat flowed down their bodies, leaving them incredibly cold. Ji-ah''s teeth ttered. "What is this," she said in a low voice. "It is as if I was dropped in an ice bath." Hassan swallowed his saliva. He couldn''t press any words out. He kept taking steps back, but the eyes only felt closer. Suddenly, the system notice rang out, and a message appeared in front of them. [The warrior has sessfully created a legacy. An additional reward will be issued. Please prepare to receive it.] [The warrior has created a new life.] [Reward will be issued uponpletion of the Quest] Lee Dojin patted the two terrified people on the shoulder. They twitched, though they woke up from their stupor. "You two are caught in its bloodlust," he answered Ji-ah''s question. "Its control is rudimentary at best, but for people not used to it, it might feel as if you were staring at Medusas eyes." He red at the face in the darkness. It red back, releasing a stinging sensation on his skin. Other than that, it did not do much for him. Baek Ji-ah was the first to gain herposure, though she could still not meet that things'' eye. "What do we do against this? It feels like I am suffocating." "Good question," Lee Dojin said. "Well, best would be not to get caught in the first ce, but at times like these, it is best to send out your own bloodlust." As he said so, the air around him seemed to warp. The light in his eyes left, reced by darkness. The smell of fresh blood surrounded him as if he had justmitted a massacre. Staring at Lee Dojin, the giant red eyes opened wide, its irises shaking, and looking at Lee Dojin, it felt its death imminent. It could tell. That was real bloodlust. It crushed the microscopic killing intent the shadow shot out and quickly enveloped the whole area. Promptly, the face disappeared, leaving only darkness again. Hassan coughed out twice, the tension in his body releasing. He nced at Lee Dojin. What kind of monster was he to drive away that thing? Though it wasn''t directed at him, he still felt cold sweat flowing down his back. even though he was only grazed by it, the man still felt terrified to his core. But heposed himself. "Say, what was that message before? New life? It''s not that hard to create new life." He never saw that kind of message before. "Of course it doesn''t mean just a baby or something." Lee Dojin shook his head. "It''s congratting us. For creating shadow so big it has gained sentience. Don''t worry, that message is a good thing. Though The System itself is a piece of shit, the reward it gives is nothing to scoff at." "I see." Hearing that, Hassan got excited. "But we have toplete the Quest first." "That is a given." Suddenly, the face appeared again, ring at the three of them, Though it did not do much this time. "D.. . ie." Ji-ah looked up. "How do you even defeat such a thing?" "We got lucky. When I first thought about doing the mission, I thought I''d had to stay in the air, fighting the innumerable shadows from the outside," Lee Dojin said. "But The Systems quest is always there for a reason. The rewards always help you to clear the mission. The more you achieve in the process, the easier the subsequent ending. The sk of that space worm allowed us to survive inside here. No matter what, it cannot crush us while the effects are activated." "That''s nice and all, but this is just a giant blob. How do we fight something like this?" "Well," He pointed at the eyes. "By destroying the face." He phased away, appearing at a distant node, right next to the face. He clenched his fist, and threw it out, promptly destroying the projection of eyes. It screamed out loud. Then disappeared, crushed. Lee Dojin lowered his hand. "This is the perfect opportunity. Every time we beat that face, it loses a part of its shadows. What do you all say, easy, right?" The red glowing eyes reappeared in the distance, staring at him angrily. "You should have said so from the start," Ji-ah shouted, excited. She brought her hand down, a pir of light appeared above the face, smiting it and branding it to crisps. The womanughed. "Now we are talking." Hassan looked at Ji-ah and jumped back. "Damn, what was that?" His eyebrows shot up. What kind of Godlike ability did she get? Lee Dojin notwithstanding, that woman was a monster too. Lee Dojin reappeared next to him, giving that man a good startle. "Can you use your ability to find the eyes." He searched through the darkness. Though he could see better than most people thanks to his title, the shadows were just too vast. He nodded. A string appeared, only for him to see. It led him southwest, the eyes were there. Lee Dojin phased to the ce, immediately destroying it. The three of them worked together like that. Hassan would locate its location, if it was nearby, Lee Dojin would give it a good punch. Further away, Ji-ah smote it to smithereens, both leaving nothing behind. For any normal human, the faces should not have been that easy to defeat. But the Korean duo''s destructive ability was beyond charts. Hassan activated his ability again. Suddenly, his eyes started stinging, and the string cut off. He lifted his head and saw there, were now tens of shadows in the air. The bloodlust they oozed, got him petrified again. "up," he shouted, and at the same time, realizing that they had mouths now. Lee Dojin saw them too. 30, no, maybe 40 faces, all staring down on them. He activated Cosmic Steps again. Nodes appeared around him. "What level was it? 42? That means I have around 52 stars now? Quite a lot." Heughed. Looking at the stars, it was as if he were carrying a pocket universe around him. The faces opened their mouths, smiling fiendishly. They appeared to be preparing an attack, but it was unsure what. Hassan flinched, hiding his face. Ji-ah cupped her eyes, fearing it was an auditory attack. But they were both wrong. Lee Dojinughed. He phased away, moving so fast from start to star, for Hassan and Ji-ah, it appeared as if he had multiplied. Their sight could not keep up with Lee Dojin. He seemed everywhere and nowhere at once. The Cosmic Steps were not a teleportation ability. Rather, it allowed Lee Dojin to walk through shortcuts of this world, making what should be a long route, an instantaneous one. From the outside, it may look like he was wildly shing around, teleporting from one space to another, but to him, it was all a straight line, the nodes neatly aligned. While the stars were alive, there existed no corners our hindrances for him. He could move once, and now with 52 stars, appear at 52 ces almost at the same time. Lee Dojin appeared before the eyes. "As long as you are within one kilometer, you will always only be one step away from me." He punched out, all faces crumbling at once, their ability never to be seen. Chapter 62: First Lesson Chapter 62: First Lesson The face appeared once more, seemingly angry. It had its eyes squinted, while gritting its teeth. Lee Dojin phased away, standing with Ji-ah and Hassan again. "Had enough already," he asked and smiled. The face opened its mouth. In a low growling voice, it said, "D.. . ie." Hassan felt shivers down his spine. "Did that thing just reply to you?" Lee Dojin tilted his head. "I don''t think so." His brows raised up. "That would be rather weird, don''t you think?" ".. . Right." Hassan nodded in understanding. Though there was still a tingle in his spine, as if alerting him something was wrong. Looking at that face, he could not help feel the creeps. Was it that endless darkness that made him feel this way? Hard to say. He massaged his tired eyes and reactivated his ability. Ji-ah cusped her hands, sending down a bolt of light down upon the face. She was breathing heavily, with her her back slouched. "How many times have we destroyed that thing?" She looked around, though there was still the boundless shadows surrounding her. "Feels like there''s no end to this." "Can you hold on a bit longer?" Lee Dojin patted her back. The usage of her ability must have taken a toll on her. The same went for Hassan. "Don''t underestimate me. I can do this all night." Baek Ji-ahughed, wiping the sweat off her brows. She touched her nose, then looked at it. No blood. Her body still had more to give. Lee Dojin smiled. "Good, keep the spirit. Because things are about to get a little harder." He looked into the dark distance. Out of the shadows came a pair of hands. They were ink-ck, andrge enough to sp the three of them in its palm. It moved fluidly, just like a human would, only that there was no body attached to it. Hassan held one of his eyes. He had never used his skill, String Retina, that often before. If possible, he simply wished to close them. Though that was hardly a choice now, it seemed. "What the hell is that?" The face reappeared again, this timeughing fiendishly. "Wh.. . the. hell. .. is that," it repeated for some reason. Hassan took a few steps back. The giant hand menacingly hovered above them. Lee Dojin caught him by the shoulder. "Do not falter," he said, "Or you will be caught in his bloodlust again." The tall man shook his head. "Nope. I can''t do this. It''s impossible. This is way too scary." Looking at the boundless darkness, he felt his throat seize up. "I''m only a human. I''m not a soldier or a mercenary. I''ve never even been in a real fight. How can you expect me to fight against a monster like this?" Lee Dojin swiped his hair back. His hand slowly fell. "If that is what you think, then I have no reason to stop you." He phased in front of these giant hands. "However, you want to be strong, right?" Hassan''s eyes shook. He clenched his hands into a fist. "I," he muttered, "I do. But it seems like I am just a coward." "Is that so." Lee Dojin took a battle stance, one hand in front of him, and one below his hipboth formed tightly into fists. His legs stood apart, ready to bounce at any time. "But you have to understand, strengthes not from things like bravery, courage, or honor. Even though many people would like to make wise that it is." Promptly, the hands moved too, and much to Lee Dojin''s surprise, took the same stance, ready for battle. His eyes opened wide, thoroughly shocked. A crazy notion popped into his head, though he didn''t want to believe it. Hassan observed Lee Dojin and the dark hands. With their size difference, the two of them looked just like David and Goliath. A simple swing, and Dojin would be crushed by the difference in mass, he thought. Still, he had to ask, "What do you mean by that?" "Good question." Lee Dojin cracked his fingers, one by one. "You, what do you believe makes someone truly strong? It''s hard to define, right? I am sure, if you asked 100 people, you will get 100 different answers, but I want you to hear me out." He took a deep breath. The nodes around him disappeared. Something told him there would be no use for them. "I''ve met many people, quite a lot of them braver, smarter, mightier than me. But in the end, I outlived them all." Hassan felt the words resonate within him, though he could not tell why. He wished to ask again, though the out-of-breath Ji-ah patted him on the shoulder and shook his head. "Just listen," she told him with a voice full of conviction. Lee Dojin thought about the people in his old life. Those that remained with him until his death. Would anyone ever call them weak? "The strong are those that survive until the end." He moved forward, and so did the giant hands. "So, for your first lesson, I want you to know, you can feel all kinds of emotions, be driven by many different motives and use a myriads of means. But never forget." He paused. "Do not die. But also, never falter." They both punched out at the same time, each hitting their fists. At that moment, Dojin felt a heavy load, pushing against him, as if he were up against a steel wall. His fist flung back, almost like a bullet ricocheting, and his body followed suite. Lee Dojinnded a few meters back, almost falling on his back. He shook his hand, in pain, but there was no wound. Ji-ah appeared behind him, propping him up. "Looks like this one is a lot tougher, huh?" Lee Dojinughed. "That thing has learned its lesson. It won''t let us get to him that easily anymore." Hassan watched the two of them in awe. Even with such great adversary, how could they remain this calm and jest? It was unfathomable to him. For him, even though he liked to hide behind jokes, he was a serious man. If he were not, he could not have survived this long. With time he had learned: never offend his brothers or father. Never speak, never move, and sometimes, not even breathe. As long as he kept a serious countenance, he will persevere. However, at one point of his life has seriousness turned into cowardliness, he wondered? Hassan searched within his pocket and took out a blue sapphire ring. He chuckled wryly while looking up into the distant universe. A few words rang into his ears, something that he always held to his heart. "In the end, we all die alone, huh?" Baek Ji-ah looked at the shadowy face, "You think we need to destroy that thing," she asked Lee Dojin. "Hmm, I don''t think so. It will not fall for the same trick twice." He rustled his hair, lost in thoughts. "I wonder where the weak-spot is?" Hassan walked forward. "It''s between the arms," he said, catching their attention. "I can see it. It''s using the shadows to hide, but in the middle is an orb, the same color, and I think you can destroy it." "How do you know that?" "It''s my skill. The one allowing me to find things. Even something abstract." He turned around. "[A way to ovee the shadowy hands] That''s what I searched for." Lee Dojins canines appeared as he smiled. "Good job!" He activated Cosmic steps, appearing in front of the hand. The thing tried to grab him, but it was already tote, as he rushed in, chopping down on the free spot in between, He felt a hard surface, and something cracked. Following that, the hands crumbled into nothingness. "Haha! I can feel it! The giant shadow has turned even smaller!" "Yo.. . u. Bastard!" The face screeched loudly, and with it appeared countless of hands, all surrounding them. They took on different stances, all ready to pounce out. The three of them stepped back. Hassan voiced out. "This is certainly a pickle." Baek Ji-ah popped up behind him. "Say, do you know any royal martial arts? Like some hidden killing move only passed down the members of the monarchy?" "This isn''t some kind of action movie, you know?" "Noted. No hidden Kung Fu." Ji-ah nodded. "This will broaden my history knowledge." A pair of hands appeared before them, preparing to smash down. She quickly pulled Hassan away, and the hand barely grazed his head. "Wow. If that would have hit you, you''d probably be mush." Hassan looked back, his face pale. The hands waved at him, telling him to approach. "I''m fucked." "Don''t worry about it, I''m here, am I not?" She activated her Smite, and it crashed down on the hand. Though it was bright and incredible, it did not do that much damage. The hands seemed to protect the orb in the middle, sping around it. Ji-ah whistled. "That thing is tough, huh?" "You have any good ideas? probably not, huh," Hassan asked, though he somewhat knew the answer already. The hands were now ready for their attack, letting no weakness through. And if he saw correctly, they seemed to have copied that Lee Dojins martial art. If he was right, even that guy will have a hard time fighting one of them. Those things aren''t just chunky pieces anymore. "Maybe we should regroup and ask the Inhe-" "Smite." Another lightbeam fell from above. ".. ." Hassan did not know how to react. "Did you hear what I said?" "I did. But you got two things wrong." Ji-ah put on hand into a fist, while one into a palm, forming a hammer falling to the ground. "One, I do have a good idea. Two, I''m also not that weak." She breathed in, filling her lungs. With a fast voice, she uttered, "Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite. Smite!" Innumerable beams of light came upon the hand, as if God itself had deemed the hands existence a sin. The light never stopped, eradicating everything beneath. Hassan quickly backed off. Even with his eyes closed, it was still bright. His robe fluttered back from the wind created by that impact. He opened his eyelids. The hands had crumbled away, a giant hole within it. "You are crazy," he muttered, feeling incredulous. "Hah~" She breathed out and wiped her nose. It was bleeding a little. "No, what''s crazy is that boy." She pointed to her side, and Hassan followed with his eyes. There, Lee Dojin destroyed the hands one by one, moving incredibly fast even without his ability. twenty pair of hands all tried to catch him, but he parried them one by one, allowing them to not even touch his hair. He looked like a leaf in the wind, unable to be grazed. The shadows went down quickly, without any resistance. He made it look so easy. Hassan was stunned speechless. He gulped. "Maybe, just maybe, we have a chance." Chapter 63: Evolving Chapter 63: Evolving Lee Dojin blocked the hands and destroyed their core. "This is getting a little repetitive, don''t you think?" He grabbed one of the fingers and threw it over his head, hitting another hand and crushing them both. "Well, with this pace, we should be able to finish it soon. Hope you don''t mind." The face looked rather frustrated, though it could not do anything. "Just.. . you. wait!" Lee Dojinnded on the ground. "Did it just reply to me?" Hassan observed the face with scrutiny. "I''ve been thinking this for a while now, but don''t you feel that thing has slowly gotten smarter?" ".. .Maybe." He shrugged his shoulder. "Though it doesn''t matter if we beat it first. We still have plenty of time." He looked at Hassan. "By the way, how are you feeling?" "I think I am getting used to it." The man looked at his hands. It wasn''t shaking anymore. "See? The shadows aren''t the only one evolving." He stopped a giant hand with his palm. "We are too." A light beam flew down, destroying its core. Ji-ah held her nose. "I think I need a little break though." Blood kept seeping out, a few drops sullying her dress. "Don''t overwork yourself. how about you two take a break? I got this from here?" "Aren''t you tired," Hassan asked him. Lee Dojin turned around, his expression full of vigor. "Do I look tired?" He phased away, appearing right next to the face again. Hassan could not do anything but observe. "Is he really the same species as me?" Ji-ah held her head high, preventing the blood from rushing out. "He''s full of vigor, isn''t he? Don''t know where he gets all that power from." "Tell me if you ever find out," the manughed. Lee Dojin watched the face with curiosity. It had a vignt expression, while it kept backing away. He asked it, "Say, do you understand me?" The face''s brows furrowed. It did not answer. Or maybe it did not understand. It was hard to tell. The whole darkness shook, though it was unknown why. Was it trying tomunicate? Lee Dojin shook his head. "If you have anything to say, I''d rmend you doing it fast." With his hand, he pierced through the face. "I don''t know how much time you have left, after all." It crumbled away, its expression full of agony. The shadows within started to tremble, and the three of them felt as if they were embroiled in an earthquake. Dojin looked into the distance. "What now? Will it be feet this time? Would be interesting." Hassan squinted his eyes. As his Affinity foretold, his sight was the greatest of them all. His face froze up, and he shouted, "No! This time it''s different!" A whirlwind appeared in front of Lee Dojin, He felt the air twist around him, with the shadows following the flow. It collected everything,pressing it, shaping it, molding it, creating a monstrosity the size of a building. It had arms and legs, looking just like a human, though it held no facial features. Baek Ji-ah looked up. "Now what the hell is that thing?" The shadows screeched out, its voice resounding through the sky. The monster swung its arms, creating a breeze that enveloped the three. Lee Dojin quickly turned his head, the attack missing, but the quakes of the fist reverberated in the air. "Di.. .e Die.. D e. Die!" A ring of chants surrounded Lee Dojin. It was the shadow. Lee Dojin cracked his neck. he watched the great monstrosity, in the shape of a humanoid. He licked his teeth. "I think I understand now." He readied himself for battle. "You are trying to be human, right? That''s why you keep transforming. Every time you change, you are moreplete. Interesting." The monster kicked out, hitting Lee Dojin square at his chest. A dull sound echoing into everyone''s ears. He felt the wind knocked out of him, as he coughed. The monster, seeing its opportunity, threw several more punches, all falling upon Lee Dojin. Hassan watched in awe. "Holy shit, that''s crazy." "Is it fine for you to use the Lord''s name in vain?" Ji-ah nced at him. "No, in the first ce, are you even religious?" The man turned his head. "Is that all you have to say? The Inherit- no, Lee Dojin, he will die if he keeps this on, you know?" "You think so? It''s not that easy for a human to die, Hassan," Ji-ah said, watching on. "Also, I haveplete faith in him." The Saudi Prince turned silent. "How are you able to stay this calm? I don''t understand you two. Look at him. He is a lone human, fighting against a neverending monstrosity. The size difference alone is enough to overwhelm any sane person." He clenched his fist, seemingly lost in a hard decision. "Fuck it, I will go. I don''t care what happens, I have to save him." Baek Ji-ah pulled at his robe. "Why? You''ve only known him for one day. What''s the point of risking your life for a stranger?" Hassan did not know how to answer. The woman was right. He didn''t really know that Lee Dojin. True, if he wanted to be strong, that man was the fastest way, yet, was it worth risking his life, when there are manyparable people within this world. His mind swirled. He put his hands into his pocket. The cold sapphire ring brought him to his senses. "I think you guys are fun." "What?" "I don''t know. I''ve met the two of you only a few hours ago, and I wasn''t expecting anything toe out of it," he paused, "but being with you people, I learned more than I did staying with my family and those close to me. Inexplicably, Lee Dojin, and you, being together, it makes me feel free. As if all problems have an answer. And my worries were only small." He scratched his cheek a little embarrassed by what he said. Still, he continued. "I don''t want people I like to die alone. That''s all." The man rolled his sleeves up, preparing for a fight. Ji-ah waited for him to end his sentence. "That''s a fine answer," she said. "He does have that effect. I know that. Truthfully speaking, I too, only know him for around 2 weeks." Hassan''s brows shot up high. "What? but you are talking as if you''ve been together your whole life." He rubbed his neck. "To be honest, I thought you were dating." Ji-ah promptly hit the back of his head. "Cease these thoughts, I''m his teacher." She coughed twice. "But anyways. I guess he has a knack for finding people that feel confined. Or maybe it is us who finds him." Sheughed. "Still, for people cowering from the society that rejected their living, he appears like the beacon of light-which almost seems ironic, seeing what my Affinity is." A smile appeared on his face. "He embodies freedom. Thus, we are drawn to him." The monster stopped punching. It wanted to admire the work it had created. However, what he saw was beyond its expectation. "That fucking hurt." Lee Dojin stood his ground, his hands in an X-Formation. Wings spurted out his back, illuminating the darkness. He stabilized his breath, in and out. Hassan touched his lip. He winced, feeling the pain. When had it burst? Even though he always applied chapstick, it still became dry. How intriguing. Baek Ji-ah started coughing. She felt her lungs burning up. "If I kill you, how much volume will you lose? I can''t wait to find out." He faced Ji-ah. "Sorry, Ji-ah this might not be good for your body." "Don''t worry about it," she said, "Just end it swiftly." Lee Dojin smiled. "I was thinking of it anyways. Otherwise, Seoul itself will be destroyed by the heat." His sight locked on the shadow. For the first time, it had a fearful expression. Did it now feel dread for its existence? Yet, it was far toote. He voiced out, "Day of Judgement, First Trumpet: Scorched Earth." The heat quickly dissipated, focused all at one point-his finger. He activated his Cosmic Steps, phasing in front of the giant shadow, and with a single touch, eradicated the monster from the face of the earth. The fires were strong enough to burn even the world to nothingness. A mere shadow stood no chance. Not only did it disappear, the surrounding itself lightened up as if there never had been the darkness. For a brief period, the ce looked like daytime. Hassan could not keep his eyes off of it. He stared at the winged Lee Dojin, enthralled, with his eyes glimmering. This was it. This was what he searched for all these years. This was strength and freedom. A great shiver ran down him, and his heart beat wildly. Were these the angels he had learned about when he was a kid? He instinctively bowed down, praying. "So you were religious. You should have said so in the beginning," Ji-ah joked. She too was amazed by the sight of Lee Dojin. He was enveloped in fire, though it did not hurt him. His hair floated in the wind, giving him an ethereal look. It was as if he had descended from heaven. The shadow slowly reformed itself, though there remained a giant hole in the sky, unable to be closed. It had gotten a significant amount of damage. And the face did not reform itself this time. This was the result of the greatest martial art, only bestowed upon humanity. It was divine and with no equal. The shadowy voice continued ringing out. "No! No! Th.. . is cannot be it!" It voiced its frustration. "More! M.. ore! More!" Lee Dojin remained calm. What did it have nned? The face reappeared, tattered. Its next words shocked him to the core. "Purga.. . tory. Soul Symbiosis." Chapter 64: A Cruel Angels Thesis Chapter 64: A Cruel Angel''s Thesis "Purga.. . tory. Soul Symbiosis." Lee Dojin''s brows furrowed. "You''ve got to be kidding me." At the same time, he began piecing the clues together, and a hypothesis sprang to his mind. ... Do Jiwoon clicked his tongue. Currently, he stood in the light-d Seoul, trying to escape the darkness. The whole endeavor was a surreal experience. He was wrapped in many bandages, almost looking like a mummy. But it was miraculous how he had survived losing half his body in the first ce. And even more amazing was seeing him running around, unbothered by his disability. He took out a sk, one that looked just like the one Dojin and the others drank. He swallowed everything inside, allowing him to breathe even in the harshest conditions. He felt lucky to have gotten this reward, otherwise, he''d have been dead a long time ago. Shadows kept following Jiwoon around, trying to catch the guy. He had no other choice running away, as he could deal them no damage. "God damn it, this is so frustrating. If I catch the bastard responsible for this, I will break his neck." He looked up into the sky and saw the ck cloud hoving above the city. Do Jiwoon began running. He passed by many innocent bystanders, confused by what was happening. The shadows phased through them, as if from another dimension. "Purgatory: Soul Pce," he shouted out, and from afar came his gray fog, enveloping him and carrying him afar. The guy had used a lot of his ability already, and he was unsure how long he could continue. "Purgatory: Soul sh!" He threw his hand out, and the souls that exploded in the shadows faces stopped moving, petrified. He had to say, that ability worked surprisingly well. "Still if this goes on, I will only be dust in the wind." Suddenly, a few Shadows t-boned him from the side, appearing like a giant wave and swallowing him whole. Inside, he felt innumerable lifeforms gnawing at him, giving him immeasurable pain. He screamed out, for the street to hear, though there was no one to help him. "Tsk, fuck it, guess I have to use it." He tightened his body. It still hurt for him to overwork his body, but he had no choice. "Purgatory: Soul Symbiosis." ... Lee Dojin thought about all the past indicators, beginning from the time Hassan said, ''Did that thing just reply to you?'' He always deemed it weird for the shadow to be that easily beaten, yet he didn''t wish to pay much heed to it. Now he knew, this giant darkness had an agenda. It started from a simple voice, but quickly, it evolved to something more humanoid. The face too started to express the same emotions a human would. It mimicked their actions and their speech, slowly assimting everything it learned and bing one with it. Not only with the three of them but also with the people below, as the shadow wreaked havoc in Seoul. If he had to guess, the shadow had probably stumbled upon Do Jiwoon and learned that guys'' words too. Lee Dojin had no choice to admitthat thing was bing human. His brows furrowed. "Even so, this was way too fast. It hasn''t been one night yet. It should not be able to evolve into aplex lifeform that easily." He rubbed his chin. Suddenly, a wild thought sprung to his mind. It was Do Jiwoon again. His ability, Soul sh gave insight into theplete human psyche in only a few seconds. If he had used that ability.. . No, was such a thing possible? "Damn it, Jiwoon. He''s really bing a pain in the ass." The shadows swirled wildly, creating a small hurricane in the middle. Ever since it had chanted Do Jiwoons spell, great change enveloped it. Though it hasn''t been long since the existence of the shadow, Lee Dojin felt this was incredibly different this time. Yet, he was curious too, seeing where this would lead. If it had copied Do Jiwoon, the thing was bound to be strong, right? The shadows, he realized, were creating something. Something magnificent. It started with a face first. Red eyes, and a fiendish smile, oozing bloodlust, just as everyone remembered. Surrounding it, a body formed, this time with no exaggerated sizes. It was a bit taller than Lee Dojin, but smaller than Hassan. The thing waspletely d in ck, though it had defined features of a young man with long straight hair. For the first time, seeing the shadow, Lee Dojin felt danger enveloping him. He was right. This thing was unlike any other being. The pressureing from it was limitless. Ji-ah watched everything unfold. She lifted her hands. unbeknownst to her, she had started shaking. Rationally, she told herself it was the bloodlust tricking her mind into fear, but no matter what, she could not stop her whole body from quivering. "It turned smaller, is that all?" Hassan swiped his nose. Though he too felt the pressure of that thing, he remained somewhat confident. "To me, it feels like it has gotten weaker than before." Ji-ah gulped. "You think so? I don''t know." The new shadow looked at its body. It saw their hands, so detailed, from the nails down to the veins. Its lips shook. "At longst. I amplete." Tears left their eyes. "To my Creators. I thank thee." "It''s crying, unbelievable!" Hassan began tough. The man had told himself that the shadow had grown weaker. It made sense, seeing as the darkness was slowly dissipating, but more than anything, he wished to convince himself that to get rid of the terror within him. "That thing is more scared than us; No need to be afraid." He strode forward with pride. Lee Dojin turned around, his face full of urgency. "Do not approach it!" As his shout left his mouth, the shadow appeared in front of him. One more time, he could make out that things'' features. nted eyes, a high nose bridge, and a jaw that made him look almost elflike. He took everything in within the split micro-second. And right after, the shadow sent innumerable punches out, too fast for Lee Dojin to see, causing him to fly far away. Lee Dojin spat out a mouth full of blood, until crashing into the distant shadows. "One down," it said nonchntly, not even looking the direction. It cracked its fingers, just like a human would. Baek Ji-ah and Hassan did not know how to react. Their eyes remained glued at the humanoid monster, as they were struck with the greatest terror of their lives. Lee Dojin, the man they knew invincible, just like that, was pummeled to the ground. The shadow cared little for their reactions. Instead, it bowed down. "Is this what a human would do? I''m unsure." Its speech was now fluent. "But I wished to show my gratitude. Without you, I would never have been born. To me, you guys are like my parents." Ji-ahs shoulders shook. "So, what now," she managed to squeeze out. "Now.. . you die." The shadow moved, appearing right in front of Hassan. The prince felt his sweat flow backward as he came face to face with this immeasurable being, though his shock did notst for long, as one swing of its hand sent him flying far away. The shadow shook his hand as if bothered there was some dirt. "And now, there is only one." Baek Ji-ahughed wryly. What else was she supposed to do in this situation? She put her hands in a hammer, smiting down upon it. A light beam came from above, aimed right at the shadow. It lifted its head, squinting, and with a mere swipe of its hand, it deflected the beam, swinging it far away. "Do not resist. As you are ady, I have saved you forst." Ji-ah could not believe what she saw. "That''s awfully chivalrous of you. But you see, young women like me don''t like such outdated thinking." She brought another pir of light down. "It''s all about equality now. Please get with the times." The shadow was hit squarely by the light. It rained upon it, obscuring it in brightness, yet as the light subsided in a few seconds, it stood there, unscathed. "I apologize. The knowledge I have acquired appears to be antiquated. You see, the person feeding me the memories, did not care for the era of its souls. Much to my chagrin." It bowed once more. How polite. "Now, I promise, I won''t treat you as a lower being, so I ask thee to please stop illuminating my body. You have to understand, I find light to be my natural nemesis." "Souls? I knew he had something to do with it. That Do Jiwoon really knows how to be a nuisance." Lee Dojin''s voice echoed from afar. The shadow turned its head, only to see a young Korean man, his hair slicked back and blood dripping from its mouth. His shirt was ripped open, revealing his defined muscles, yet there was no wound. The manughed at ease. "What, you did not expect me to croak that easily, right?" Though he felt his whole body creaking as he said so. In this current state, he was still too weak. Not even an ounce of his past powers. Hassan stood right next to him, his left face bruised. Other than that, he seemed fine. "Thanks for saving me," he said. "Don''t sweat it. We are a party after all. Now, for your own good, I advise you to step back." He crossed his hands into an X. "I''m sure you know what ising, right?" Hassan didn''t need any more tips. He immediately ducked out the way, and so did Ji-ah, as she did not wish to be coteral in that move. The shadow did not stop her as it was fixated on Lee Dojin. "Well, how about it, for your efforts, I will destroy you with this technique again. It''s martial arts only a human can use. Ironic, right?" Lee Dojin crossed his fingers. "Day of Judgement, First Trumpet: Scorched Earth." The shadow showed no reaction. Yet, out of the blue, it too crossed its arms, creating an X-form just like Dojin. A fiendish smile escaped its mouth.Lee Dojin felt his mouth ck. At that moment, a quite cruel hypothesis came to his mind as true. With a low voice, the shadow repeated, "Day of Judgement, First Trumpet: Scorched Earth." Chapter 65: Human Chapter 65: Human "Are you kidding me?" As those words left Lee Dojin''s mouth, wings spurted on his back, lightly illuminating the darkness. The shadow cracked its neck (a weird sight to see). Right after, on his back too, a pair of wings manifested, though they were not of light, but shrouded in total darkness. "How about you try and find out?" "That''s more like it," Lee Dojin joked. "It is no fun fighting against a being that cannotmunicate. It''s like beating up a sandbag, you know?" It chuckled. "Is that so. For thee, I hope it is not thest thought you hold." Jia-h and Hassan were dumbfounded by the exchange. The whole endeavor seemed like something straight out of a superhero film. They almost thought they were caught inside some low-budget fantasy world, was it not for the great heat scalding them. Jia-h pulled Hassan away. "I think we should leave." The man was prone to agree. Even though he was used to hot weather, this wasn''t something a human could withstand. He could not imagine what Lee Dojin was currently feeling. The man in question licked his lips. Sweat flowed down his head, dropping off his chin. As for the emotions inside of him.. . excitement, uncertainty, curiosity.. . there were all kinds of things, but he suppressed them all, until the only thing left was tranquility. Lee Dojin and the shadow moved together. The paths underneath them turned to ash. It took less than a second until they were at a touching distance. It was as if there had been a mirror in between them, only, who knew which of the two the reflection was? One finger, one move, with a heat concentrated to the maximum. An art that could endanger even Earth itself. Dojin moved his hand, and at that moment, he felt it. That shadow was the real deal. For whatever reason, it had executed the move perfectly. If the two were to collide, it would be even. No, maybe he had a bit of an upper hand? Hard to tell. The two of them touched. Upon their collision, a ring of light shone out, basking them in a world of white. It radiated great heat, scalding any onlookers. Ji-ah grabbed her dress and jumped back, while Hassan had to hide his body, his arm blocking the fires. Their ears rang with a beep, and they felt the strain on their eyes, which had just gotten adjusted to the darkness. Even as the light subsided, they could not make out any details of the aftermath. Ji-ah squinted her eyes. She concentrated on what was before her, until she felt someone moving her shoulder, causing her to leap out. "Rx, it''s me," a familiar voice said. She rubbed her eyes. "Dojin, is that you?" Turning around, she saw the young Asian boy, with his hair disheveled and ash on his face. His shirt was ripped too, though that was from before. Small mes still surrounded his shoes. Hassan approached them. "You''re alive!" He smiled widely. "That''s incredible, I knew you could take that monster head-on." The man was wholeheartedly impressed. Lee Dojin shook his head. "I''m also only human, Hassan. If that thing hit me, you wouldn''t even find my ashes." He crossed his fingers. "That was way too close. Thankfully, I was able to choose a node nearby, and attack it from behind." He patted thest embers of his shoulders. His wings had disappeared, as if never there. A hollow voice resounded through the whole darkness. ".. . A shame," it muttered. "That you chose to avoid it." Stepping out from afar, there was the shadow again, its face unbothered. Yet, ncing at its body, one saw a giant hole, from shoulder to hip, broken off, and burned away. It was an interesting sight to see; Shadows burning. It should not be possible. And normally it would not have been. But the mes conjured by Lee Dojin were different. Pure enough to burn fire itself. Lee Dojin cocked his head, he smiled. "If I didn''t, I''d look much like you. No, maybe even worse. I can''t believe you are still standing, you monster." "I wonder. From your side, I must appear as a monster," the shadow said, as it fell to its knees, "but I may have just the same opinion about you guys." "You should have saved the talk for when you were still healthy." Lee Dojin took off his shirt. It annoyed him how that it kept pping around. "Maybe then we could have had a normal conversation." "If I am healthy, you say," the shadow lifted its face andughed. Promptly the surrounding darkness gently shook and wrapped around it. One by one, it reconstructed the shadow to its prime. The thing moved their handsas good as new. "Then, shall we have a chat?" Lee Dojin''s eyes widened. A dry chuckle left his mouth. "That''s crazy." The shadow bowed down. "I advise you to remember this time. The world is my oyster." Its clothes pped in the wind. "But let us keep the chitchat at bay. One does not talk with monsters." "Is it saying we are the bad guys," Hassan muttered. Ji-ah rubbed her head. "I mean, from another perspective, we are the ones to summon it, only to destroy it. It hadn''t really done anything wrong yet. Also, it doesn''t kill bystanders. Just to name a few." "Oh lord, I hope you aren''t developing sympathy for that thing." "Of course not." She paused. No matter what, the two parties could not coexist. Either the shadow or they had to disappear. That, she understood well. "But seeing it talk and move just like a human, it''s hard to dissociate myself from it." Lee Dojin patted her shoulder. "Still, you have to try." She nced at him. "This is a battle, and soon it will be war. If you survive long enough, you are bound to meet many people worth sympathizing. That''s natural. Shedding away our abilities, goals, and ambitions, we are all beings with a story. Yet, if you choose to fight, you have chosen to destroy it." He watched the shadow. "That is the price of life." The shadow stared back at him. "Have the three of you concluded the talk?" Lee Dojin tilted his head. "You waited? That''s awfully nice of you." "It''s unbing to seize a conversation not meant for me," it exined. "Also, I wished to understand you guys more." A small smile appeared on the shadows'' face. "Now, I suppose courtesy dictates I show you something from my side, right?" Suddenly, like a record that rewound itself, the shadow crossed its arms again. Lee Dojin''s had no choice but to widen. Heughed, though there was no humor in it. "Seriously?" "Unlike you guys, I don''t get tired." The shadows crossed its fingers. Dark wings appeared on their back once more. "Is that not the perfect human being?" "Run!" Lee Dojin grabbed Ji-ah and Hassan. Without turning his back, he began bolting. This had now turned into a serious problem. Maybe it wasn''t exaggerated to say, this shadow had now be a threat to humanity itself. The thing opened its mouth. "Would you like to ring the bells of judgment?" Lee Dojin cupped his hands over his head. Heughed while being basked in radiant heat. So this was what it felt like to be on the receiving end. "Now this is what a real apocalypse should look like!" Hassan and Ji-ah guided themselves away. The bloodlust alone was enough to overwhelm their senses. This wasn''t something they could be part of anymore. The shadow noticed them backing off. Its mouth opened. "Am I boring you?" The two of them vehemently shook their heads. "Good, I wouldn''t want to be." As it said so, the shadows began shaking. This was, as they had experienced, not a good sign. "Still, as luck has it, I am not bound by one entity." Next to him, two more shadows appeared. They looked simr, yet were smaller in size. Including so, their faces were less defined, almost doll-like, a far cry from the one Lee Dojin was fighting against. A dark glow surrounded them. They were like its children. The shadow punched at Lee Dojin, incredible heat surrounding him. At the same time, its children attack Ji-ah and Hassan. The two of them soon came to realize that these kids were just as tenacious as the real one. Especially for Hassan, who had no fighting ss ability. Ji-ah sent a light pir down. It did little damage. The child swiped its long hair. It looked like a female. Hassan ran away. The child did not follow him. Instead, its red eyes glowed menacingly, as it gnashed their teeth. This one looked male. As the bout was about to begin, a message appeared in front of Lee Dojin and the others: [30 mins left until the effects from sk of the Spaceworm wears out.] Chapter 66: JinYoung Chapter 66: JinYoung "That''s not good." Lee Dojin closed the message, though it didn''t quite disappear out of his mind. Ji-ah and Hassan agreed. They may not know what exactly Dojin had nned, but observing his face, it didn''t seem to be going well. The two of them watched the child shadows in front of them. Half an hour didn''t seem enough to beat them. "What''s wrong, why are you not activating the Day of Judgement?" The shadow stopped moving. "It''s sacrilegious that you can even use the ability." Lee Dojin crossed his arms. He saw his hands shaking. Though one could not see it on his face, he had long overexerted himself. Even if his spirit and mind were there, his body could not handle much more. Still, he had to fight. "Day of Judgement." Sweat dripped from his neck. He huffed. "First Trumpet, Scorched Earth." "So tenacious. Incredible," the shadow could not help praise him. "I wonder if we met under different circumstances, would we have been friends?" Lee Dojinughed. "Why talk about things we cannot change? We can still be friends after." The shadow replied with a simr chuckle. "We both know, this is no longer possible." Darkness and light intermingled, as the two, a human and a shadow, exchanged their fights. At the same time, the other two shadows started talking, starting from the male one. "My name is Jin. May I know yours?" The small shadow smiled, its face appeared friendly. Hassan and Ji-ah both looked at each other. They were equally surprised by Jin''s attempt atmunication. Then again, the original shadow was capable of speech too. Still, it creeped them out, seeing things that looked like dolls moving their mouths. It was as it sprang right out a horror movie. Still, Baek Ji-ah, was it not for her illness, was the adventurous type. "My name is Ji-ah," she said, "the guy next to me is Hassan." She replied for him, as she had learned by now, that Saudi Prince was a lot more conservative. Though she could not me him for his fear, as her hands trembled ever so slightly too. "There''s no point talking with them." The girl said. She had a cold expression, that was also mildly bored. "They will perish soon enough." "Don''t be such a wet nket," Jin pouted its lips. "This here is my sister. Her name''s Young. As for who is older, I have no clue~" Hassan could not hide his skepticism any longer. With furrowed brows, he asked them, "You guys have names." Jin tilted its head. "Is it not normal for people to have names?" He pointed at the original shadow. "As the one that created us, he bears the burden of nomenture. That goes for you humans too, right?" The Saudi Prince was unsure how to reply. "That may be so. Still, that''s normally a thing only humans do." "Enough. I told you Jin, there''s no point arguing with them." The girl tossed her head and stepped forward. "They could not even bother naming father, cursing him to be a creature without a title. How could they understand our burdens?" She then released a frightening amount of bloodlust, causing Hassan and Ji-ahs sweat to flow backward. "Ah~ She''s mad. She''s mad." The boy hid behind his sister. Cocking his head out, he gave them a smile full of pity. "Anyways, good luck, have fun." He winked at them. "I assume you will need it." Ji-ah stepped back. She felt her chest tighten. Still, this little pain was nothing to her. Letting no opportunity pass, she activated her skill Smite and sent a destructive pir of light upon them. Young moved her head up, then readied herself to position. It happened all in a split second, but as the light headed down, she moved the back of her hand, swiping the beam away. It crossed to the left, hitting only the sky. "You''re kidding me." Ji-ahs eyes widened in amazement. "She deflected it!" "Haha, you should know, my sister''s soul is based on a famous martial artist that existed in ancient Japan," the boy immediately began exining. "She was the strongest fighter during the Hakuho period, but they banished her for being a woman. She migrated to Korea, and settled for a life in peace, though her aplishments remain unknown. Isn''t that sad?" "Shut the hell up, Jin," Young grabbed the boy''s ears and pulled, causing it to scream. "Anyways,dy, you seem surprised. But isn''t it obvious that light and shadows do not mix? It''s child y for me to avoid it. Unlike father, I can''t simply take the attack head-on." Ji-ah felt her eyes twitch. "Is that so." The girl shadow moved its legs. There seemed to be some intricate footwork involved, but for Ji-ah it only looked as if she disappeared and reappeared right in front of her. "It is indeed." With an urate palm strike, it hit Ji-ahs chin, causing her head to violently fling back. Right after, Young kicked out, her footnding in Ji-ahs stomach. "Ji-ah!" Hassan leaped in to help her, but was stopped by the other shadow, Jin. He tried shoving him out the way, but it did not budge. "Move!" "Easy there. I am not the violent type." Jin said. "But luckily, as it seems, neither are you." Itughed. "Just grabbing your wrist, it appears you are pathetically weak. Never had to lift your hands in your life huh? Lucky~" "You talk too much!" Hassan punched Jin''s face, it flew to the left. The shadow wiped its mouth, though there was no blood there. It let the prince through, who immediately ran for Ji-ah. "Hey, can you hear me? Are you fine?" Ji-ah moved her head up. Her hair was disheveled, flowing down her face. Blood dripped down her mouth and her chin was red, yet she smiled. "Your voice is grating my ears, Hassan." "You''re bleeding from your mouth, we need to see the hospital!" Ji-ah wiped the blood off her chin. "This is nothing, I will just sleep it away." "No, that looks internal, dude. What if you punctured an organ or something?" Hassan grabbed her head, full of urgency. "In fact, you shouldy down and on your side and don''t move." ".. .Are you really not letting me act cool?" Young grimaced, looking at her shadowy brother. "Why did you let that guy go?" "I told you, I''m not the violent type." Jin smiled while rubbing his cheek. He then looked at Ji-ah and Hassan. With a fiendish grin that oozed bloodlust, he sped his hands. "I''m more like the maniptive one between us too." Right after, below Ji-ah and Hassan, a pair of giant hands, much reminiscent to those they fought before sped around them, surrounding them like a cage. "I do know that even though you are faster, our bodies hold less strength," Jin said. "With this, you should be able to get them both, right?" "What a disgusting personality." The girl shadow scoffed. "Hardly been my choice." Hassan hit the hands fingers, hurting only himself. "Damn, what the hell is this?" The hands, though they looked soft and easy to beat, hitting these things felt like pushing against a steel wall. Even if he broke his hands on them, the things would not budge. He looked at the two shadows in front of him. The sight made his knees weak. "Smite!" "It''s not gonna work." Young deflected the attack once more. Though, this time, it shook its hands, as if hurt. If there was one thing going for Ji-ah''s ability, it was the damage it did. Sadly, with the long charging time, it was incredibly easy to predict where it was going tond. Ji-ah bit her lips. Her head started to ring. Clearly, she had overdone it. "Smite, Smite, Smite!" "You''re like a one-trick pony." The girl shadow scoffed. She hit all the beams away as if she were a mirror reflecting them. "This is getting annoying." Young rushed into the cage, punching out at her. "Watch out!" Hassan quickly pulled her away, taking the hit for himself. He immediately felt the food well up to his throat, spitting out a clear liquid. His eyes bulged, looking as if they could fall out. So this was what a punch felt like. A real punch, not one done by family. The man was out of breath, his chest aching immensely. If possible, he never wanted to experience that again. "Hassan! Are you ok?" Ji-ah rushed for him. She tried hitting the shadow with a smite, but the hands blocked her beam. Jin, outside, shook his fingers. "No disturbances." "This time, I saved yo" His words were cut short by a kick to his face. He felt his neck creak, threatening to break. Ji-ah looked around. There was only one escape. The front, where Young entered from. Passing her.. . that seemed impossible. "Smite, Smite, Smite." Her attack kept raining down, though with little use. At the same time, Hassan was beaten bloody. She searched for Lee Dojin, but he was nowhere to be found. Suddenly a message appeared "Well, let us end this. I''m not fond of punching down." Young threw the prince away. He was still holding on. The shadow went in for a chop down. To Ji-ah, everything appeared in slow motion. Hassans face, Jin''s smile, Young''s hands, all flowed into her brain. She cupped her hands together, sending one more light beam, bigger than any before. Young looked up, scoffing. There was no need to worry. [Your skill Smite has sessfully reachedpleted the small evolution.] Ji-ah smiled. Midway, as the light came down, it turned to the right, creating a curve. Youngs eyes opened wide. "What the fu" The light moved, as Ji-ah guided it with her finger. Every time she swung her hand, the light danced around, as if it were a dragon in the sky. It followed the path it was guided to, until entering through the front gate. [Level 10 Evolution: The light curves with your finger, allowing the user to control its flow.] "You piece of shit," the shadow screamed, though her threats fell weak, as she was basked by the great light, hitting her from the front. She crossed her arms, trying to block it, but the pir was too destructive. As the light subsided, the shadow was no more. Ji-ah huffed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "That''s more like it," she said with a tired smile. Chapter 67: Game Chapter 67: Game The door shook violently, as Hassan mmed them shut. He looked up, and as he saw his father, so did his majesty look at him. Unlike the time Lee Dojin and Baek Ji-ah met him, Hassan still had long hair,rge eyes, and baby cheeks that were yet to vanish from age. He looked at most fifteen, at an age far before The Mirage came. The boy''s eyes glimmered in rage. He shouted, "Why?" His father did not reply. Rather, the man looked bored, resting his head on his fist and yawning. Instead, the person to reply was a close aide, an old man, whose hair had long greyed. "Beware, you are in the halls of His Majesty, watch your tongue." "It''s the 21st century, who gives a shit about all these things?" The boy waved his hand. "Besides, I am here on official business. Mind your own stuff, alright?" "Hassan," the aide said, with a stern voice. "Even if you are the 4th prince and family of his Majesty, disrespect will not be tolerated." He continued. "If necessary, we will put all rtions aside and punish you ordingly." "Oh yeah, you guys are quite good at that huh? Royalty has no blood. I know." Hassan clenched his fist. He scoffed. "You people don''t care about anything but yourself." The aide opened his mouth, the man''s face twisted in anger. He was about to shout something, but his voice never left his mouth, as the king himself lifted his hand. At once, the whole hall turned silent. "Everybody, besides Hassan, leave." The aide''s eyes opened wide, and murmurs resounded from the spectators, but they obliged without much fuss. Soon after, there were only two people left within the spacious room. His father stood up. He loosed his tie. "Now, what do you say about all this? I set it up to my liking. With this, people will know that we appreciate the traditional values." Hassan looked around. He saw an old sultan carpet, colorful and bright, with golden rims on the furniture. The floor was marbled, and the walls brocaded with fine art, seemingly out of a renaissance fair. His father liked to show off, though he himself found it gaudy. And currently, he could not care less about any of this. The boy clicked his tongue. He asked, "Why did you let mother die?" ... Ji-ah stared at the light pir until it subsided. Young, the female shadow, was no more. "That''s more like it," she said with a smile, and right after, great amounts of blood spurted out her orifices. Her face was dyed red, with blood leaving her eyes, mouth, and ear. She held her face, feeling warm, then fainted. Hassan yelled her name and caught her from behind. Ji-ahs mouth bubbled with red foam, looking miserable but alive. "She overused her ability, I see," the boy shadow, Jin, said, and nodded in understanding. "That''s what happens when you overburden yourself." He nced at the ce his sister was and shook his head. "You get doled with consequences." "You bastard!" Hassan red at the shadow. "Come in here, I dare you! I will mess you up!" Jin shook its shoulders. "I seriously doubt that." The shadow sat down, wind rustling its hair. "If my conjecture is correct, we both aren''t the fighting type." Jinughed. "I''m not some martial artist or soldier like my sister. I died ying games. Pretty ordinary, right? But I am proud of my brain." Hassan''s brows furrowed. Though he was loath to admit it, that kid was right. "So what, are you just going to stand there?" "That would be one option." The boy shadowughed. "But I have a better idea." He sped put his fingers into a cross, and several more hands popped up. "This world is my game. You want to y a round?" The Saudi Prince clicked his tongue. His eyes fell to Lee Dojin. That boy was moving so fast, he couldn''t even see him. His attention returned to Jin. Even though his hands shook, he chuckled. "Guess I got stuck with the annoying one." "You are so rude." Jin Moved his hands together, and the giant hands followed suit, moving to Hassan. "Let''s keep it simple," the boy said lifting its finger. "We both aren''t fighter types, and I don''t like the idea of killing someone, so let us ce certain rules." Hassan activated his ability, String Retina. "The giant hand''s next movement," he said, and soon, a link formed, telling him where these shadowy arms would attack. He grabbed Ji-ah and dodged these spots, effectively making it out unhurt. Jin continued talking. "Okay, let''s make only one rule. The first one to give up loses." "That''s the shittiest game I have heard of." Hassan crouched, the hands barely missing. Jinughed. It wasn''t offended. "You have no eye for beauty." Surrounding Hassan, a few zombie-like creatures appeared all made out of shadows. "You ever yed Resident Evil?" "I hope you get a copyright strike." He ced Ji-ah on his back. At these times, he really wished to have trained his body. Though he did not have the physique to dodge it, his eyes allowed him to see the iing attacks. He kicked one zombie, and the thing crumbled. Hassan looked up. These things weren''t hard to beat. It was these hands that were annoying. "You just gonna run? Well, I suppose you have no choice, huh?" "Fuck you." Hassan closed his eyes. That shadow was right, he could not keep running. But still, he had no offensive abilities. There was only one thing he could try, even though it put a strain on his head. "String Retina, Medusa." "What''s that?" The shadow asked. "You don''t look like someone from greek. Or was Medusa a roman thing? Can''t really remember." Hassan did not reply. Instead, several strings appeared, all moving towards the hands. He felt the front of his head throb, but tried paying no heed to it. As the giant hands and his eyes formed a link, they suddenly stopped moving, as if frozen in time. Jin''s mouth cked. "What the fuck is this?" He realized that the beings controlled by him had stopped moving. Hassan moved forward. At the same time, he exined. "That''s my small evolution." He held his nose, which was currently bleeding. "Everything bound to my strings stops moving until I break the connection." He squinted his eyes, as he felt like they were burning. Still, he maintained the strings, even if it would cost his life. "That''s a revtion." The Saudi prince moved out, and punched the shadow in the face. Jin fell to the ground, his head flinging away. "This one is for Ji-ah." He continued punching out. "And these, just because you are an asshole." Hassan kept barraging the shadow with his fists. It was a first for him, cing so many punches on someone. Truthfully speaking, it was lethargic. "Calm down, we just started," a voice resounded. It was the shadow, Jin. He caught Hassan''s hand and shoved him away. The prince stepped a few steps back. There, he saw the shadow again, though it was malformed, with several dents and twists on its body. "damn, I got careless. Didn''t know you had that ability." It cracked its neck. "Still, you will not catch me off-guard again." Several smaller shadows appeared, the size of a dog. Unlike the hands, they were almost innumerable, epassing the whole shadowy area. "I get it now I think. Everything you look at will stop moving right? Since your ability has something to do with sight. So if there are too many things to look at, how will you fare, I wonder?" The shadows quickly surrounded him, biting his legs. Even with his abilities, he could not dodge them as they were too many. His wounds umted, dyeing his once white robe red. The shadow shouted, "This is game over! May you rest in despair!" ... Hassan''s shback continued. "That is a good question," Hassan''s father replied. "Well, to exin, I would call it a game." The boy''s brows shot up. "A game? What do you mean ''a game''? This isn''t some roley or hide and seek." Hassan growled. "This is my mother you are talking about!" "It is simple. Really." The King spoke. "Imagine you have a weapon or amulet. It follows you to the first few levels, helping you defeat monsters. However, as you level up, you get better stuff, and the once grand item turns obsolete, not able to keep up with the stats." He rubbed his chin. "The same goes with women. They support you and help you reach greater heights, until, at one point, you reach new opportunities and meet even nicer women. They, in turn, grant you even more power, and those who once supported you end up useless and you drop them. It is sad, but you learn to move on. You understand where I am going with this, right?" "What the fuck? Hassan was baffled. "Seriously. What the fuck? Is this your true opinion about my mother?" He walked forward. "She waited for you all the time, until her death. And you abandoned her like a pebbled on the street? She gave everything for you! are you fucking kidding me?" "As I said, Hassan. The world is a game." He paused. "Learn to y it." ... Hassan faced the sky. The pain encroached him reaching his limbs. He didn''t know why he thought about his mother. Maybe it was like a life shing by as he met his death. He didn''t know. Still, every time that shadow mentioned ''a game'' he grew irate. "Shit." He muttered. Suddenly, he felt his feet hit the ground. he looked down. He didn''t know when, but slowly, the shadows had descended,nding upon the earth and engulfing Seoul in darkness again. "Come on! Give up!" Jin shouted, summoning even more minions. "This is just like tower defense!" Hassan sighed. Was this the end? He coughed, then faced Ji-ah. No, this could not be it. Yet, there was no escape. He had one more thing to try, but was it worth the risk? He faced Dojin. He clicked his tongue. Maybe it was. He closed his eyes and activated his ability. A sigh escaped him. "String retina. Show me the way to win." At once blood spurted out his eyes and mouth, a dark red shade coloring the ground. His ability was simple. As long as he wished for it, he could see whatever he wanted, even if abstract. But he had to mind, the less specific it was, the higher the burden on his body. Just like right now. His ability almost destroyed him, giving him an intense migraine, making him wish to scratch out his brain. The shadow chuckled. "Self-destruction. What an anti-climatic end." Hassan rubbed his eyes. He saw it. For a split second, he saw. A way to win. The dogs bit upon him, but he didn''t care. They could not hurt him as much as his ability could. He waved through the shadows. "Is this a suicide attack?" Hassan came close to Jin. They now saw eye to eye. He grabbed the shadow by its neck and muttered. "I see. The only way to destroy you.. . was using your own powers." He deactivated his abilities. The hands began moving again. They targeted him, swinging out. Jins face contorted. The shadow realized Hassan''s idea, but it was toote. Once more, Hassan activated his ability. He saw where the hands were aiming for. He shoved him to that point. The hands came down,nding upon Jin, breaking the shadow apart. It was like observing a ragdoll being hit by several trucks. Hassan fell to his knees. His eyes felt like they were burning. Butpared to the shadow, he was a lot better off. The shadow looked at him. It smiled. "Good game. It was fun, even if short." Thest hand moved, decapitating Jin, and it disintegrated, just like its sister. And thus, through the power of Ji-ah and Hassan, the shadow turned much smaller again. Chapter 68: I Acknowledge you. Chapter 68: I Acknowledge you. The shadow watched its children died. It sighed inmentation. Jin and Young were part of it, yet they were also separate entities, with their own thoughts. The shadow chose these two, as it felt, within the myriad of souls he had copied, these two had the greatest urge to live one more time. "So this is what true death feels like." The thing clenched its fist. The thoughts of Jin and Young returned, assimting with it once more, their thoughts gentle. "What I have lost in size, I gained in strength." Hassan fell to the ground,ying right next to Ji-ah. The pain in his eyes made him unable to faint, yet, he only saw darkness. He heard Ji-ah cough right next to him, and a dry chuckle escaped him. This was no time to fall yet. He wiped the blood out of his face. His eyes slowly adjusted again. He lifted his head, and slowly, pushing himself off the ground, he stood up. Ji-ah followed suit, her face incredibly pale. Yet, they stood straight, facing the shadow as victors. Suddenly, Lee Dojin appeared in front of them. They hadn''t seen him for a while, and the sight of him shocked them. His hair looked disheveled, and his clothes haggard. They were ripped on all sides, with burn marks on them. He had several open wounds on his body, bleeding red, or charred ck. Still, his carefree smile remained. "You two did well," the boy said. "You don''t look well," Ji-ah said in a joking manner. "I can say the same thing about you two." Lee Dojin brushed his hair aside. "I suppose this was a lot more than we bargained for." "You tell me." Hassan sighed. He kept ripping his be hoping to lessen his aching head. "So what do we do now?" "Well, first," he paused, "First, you two leave." "What?" "Leave. Thankfully, we have arrived on the ground." Lee Dojin looked around. They were now at Lotte Tower again, the ce they had phased up from. "Guessing by the message that popped up, we only have around 5 minutes left until the Spaceworm potion runs out and we are vulnerable to the shadows again. Even then, you two don''t really seem in the state to fight." Hassan looked at his body. "Are you saying we lost?" Lee Dojin chuckled. He took a piece of cloth and wrapped it around his mouth and nose. "Lost," he repeated. "Don''t be stupid. Don''t you know who I am? Listen well, Hassan, I am Lee Dojin. The Inheritor of this universe." The boy paused. "I don''t lose." "You are joking, right? Will you fight by yourself?" Hassan ced his hand on Lee Dojin''s shoulder. "You''re a good guy," Dojin said. He grabbed Hassan''s wrist. "I can tell that. But we''ve only met for one day, so you don''t know much about me. Tell you what, Ji-ah, you trust me, right?" The woman didn''t answer immediately. Instead, she took a breath and asked, "Will you die?" "No. Promise." She smiled. "Then I do." "You two, go now. You''ve done well." Though he had wrapped his ripped shirt around his chin, hiding his mouth, one could still see his grin. "I told you. I will not let you die." He warped away, appearing next to the shadow. Onest time, he nced over his shoulder. Hassan and Ji-ah looked as small as his palm now. He urged them to leave, and so they did. From this distance, it was hard to tell whether they were reluctant or not. "Wee back," the shadow said. "Sorry for the wait." "I understand, it is quite stressful being a leader," it joked. Lee Dojin shook his head. "No, I''m not a leader. I tried being one, and I thought I was quite good at it, but humans, I believe they don''t need guidance. Even without anybody, they will find themselves." Lee Dojin crossed his arms. "You, too, as a human, should understand that." The shadow stopped moving. Its eyes opened widely. "What are you trying to say? No, that can''t be.. ." "You''re correct. I acknowledge you. I have seen your ways and felt your emotions while fighting. This sensation is unmistakable," he tilted his head, his hair fluttering in the wind. "I, Lee Dojin, deem you human." "I see," the shadow muttered. "I see. I see." Tears rolled down his eyes. He looked at the deep universe. "I weep, for my creator has beseeched with his grace. I am thrilled." He wiped his face and closed his eyes. He crossed his arms into an X. "Yet, I am also devastated, for I have to take the very person''s life. Such is the irony of fate." The shadows'' countenance grew serious. "If only we met under different circumstances. We could have been friends." Lee Dojinughed. "We already are." "Really, and you say you don''t have leadership qualities." The shadow chuckled. He crossed his fingers, forming another X. The darkness, as expected, turned incredibly hot. "If you were my leader, I''d follow you to death." "Come on, you''re making me blush." Lee Dojin continuedughing. The shadow followed suit. Two lone monsters (or humans) floating in the sky, their bellowing voices shaking the universe itself. Lee Dojin felt the heat slowly encroach him. He realized there, even though he was getting weaker, the shadow had gotten stronger. The thing knew of no rest, only slowly umting the experiences of humanity. To put it quite simply, Lee Dojin was in incredible danger. Still, all he could do was smile. This was it. This was what life to him was about. Freedom to choose what battles to fight and where to die. Ever since he transmigrated, the people around him knew him as a quiet man. One that remained calm andposed, like a rock in a turbulent river. But truthfully speaking, Lee Dojin was no such man. He was a beast, finding pleasure in simple things. And a beast, when cornered, will always strike back. The bloodlust around him magnified, causing the air around him to distort and wobble. His eyes were full of concentration. Heat left his body, burning him. Blood slowly dripped down his face, onto the earth. He scrutinized the shadow and smiled. "If I stay the way I am now, I will die." The shadow tilted his head. "You got that right." "No choice then." Lee Dojin closed his eyes. He let his hands fall down. The warmth around him dissipated, turning into nothing. Now, only the zes of the shadow enveloped him. "Have you given up?" The shadow could not help be disappointed. Then again, he understood. Lee Dojin opened his eyes again, his hands spread out. If one were to look at the boy, they''d realize his whole body formed a cross. And the shadow did look, for he did not dare underestimate him. And the thing saw, within Lee Dojin''s eyes, there was no sign of forfeiture. But it was toote. The boy opened his mouth. "Day of Judgement, Second Trumpet: Sunken World." Immediately, the heat subsided, turning into cold. The whole ce felt as if it had been dipped into an ice bath. The shadow felt the chills, something he had never experienced before. He looked around, and realized the whole ce seemed to cave in, crumbling underneath its own weight. The shadow too, fell to the ground, as if gravity was pulling it down. It then realized, he felt his breath gone, something that was impossible for him to experience. He lifted his head. His eyebrows shot up. To him, the world had turned dark-blue, as if he had sunken into the deepest pit of the ocean. He tried to speak. "Wh. . at the hell.. . is this?" "You''re strong, but you have a lot to learn," Lee Dojin said. "God foretold humanity, upon its end, there would be seven warnings. Would it not be obvious that this art had seven moves too?" "I unde.. . sta. .. it was. .. my mistake." The shadow tried propping himself up, but could not do so under the crushing gravity. "I.. . lost." Lee Dojin phased in front of the shadow. His hand formed a fist. On his back, there were now two pairs of wings, glowing faintly, but beautifully. He left his fist fall. The shadow lifted its head. It felt like the whole world was falling on him. And his eyes glimmered. "This is what the end feels like." He could not help appreciate the boy that had given him this many new experiences. Out of the blue, as Lee Dojin was finishing the move, blood spurted out his mouth. It quickly followed, with red leaving his eyes, ears, and nose, all spraying profusely. "You''ve got to be kidding me." His limbs bulged, several deep cuts appearing on his body. He fell to his knees. "Shit. I guess it was still too much for this body." His fist gently floated down, missing the shadow. he could not finish his attack. Yet, even though it did not hit, the shadow had chills running down his back. He had never felt this scared in all his lives before. His sight followed Lee Dojin''s hands, and witnessed the giant crater left behind his punch. It had destroyed an incredible portion of the shadows, reaching even beneath the darkness, burying to Seoul, and destroying several buildings. This was worse than a meteor. He could not imagine the damage if the attack had beenpleted. Still, it was for naught. Lee Dojin coughed violently. He rubbed his throat, as if something was stuck in it. His eyes fell on the shadow, who looked solemn. The shadow crossed his fingers, his arms spread apart. "I thank thee for your legacy." Soon enough, two wings appeared on his back, the whole sky turning heavy. "I, too, wield the same power now." "Looks like you are in a pickle," a sudden voice appeared from below. Lee Dojin turned his head, and there he saw a familiar, yet unexpected figure wrapped in bandages. "Since it is on the ground, I managed toe too. Figures it had something to do with you." "Do Jiwoon," Lee Dojin muttered. The white-haired boy knelt down, staring at the person that had given him such grievous wounds. He asked calmly, "If you die, will this giant shadow disappear?" Chapter 69: Evolution at 50 Chapter 69: Evolution at 50 Lee Dojin thought about Ji-ah and Hassan. Normally, the shadows would dissipate if the summoner was dead, however, as the three of them were currently in a party, the darkness remained until the whole group had perished. He answered Do Jiwoon honestly. "No." The boy nodded. "Thought so." He cracked his neck. "In the first ce, I don''t think you''d die that easily." "That is correct." Do Jiwoon sighed. With his only hand, he reached for his pouch, grabbing out a sk. "Here, take this." "That is.. ." Lee Dojin received the present, realizing it was familiar. "The sk of the space worm?" "If I had to guess, you will probably be needing this, right?" Jiwoonughed. The wind brought his white hair aflutter, revealing his charred left eye. "Finish this a bit faster will ya? Otherwise, I am going to die." Dojin took a scrutinizing look at the bottle. Though he could not prove it, the boy felt the thing to be the real deal. "Well, miracles do happen. Who''d think you''de to lend me a hand? Really, God works in mysterious ways." "There''s no God." Do Jiwoon turned around. His ck robe veiled his bandaged body. Lee Dojin drank the liquid sealed within the bottle. It was refreshing. He wiped his mouth. "I would not be so sure of that." He stood up again, still filled with vigor. He wrapped his arm around Do Jiwoon, surprising thetter. "If you are already here, why don''t you let me borrow your shoulder too?" "Giving an inch and taking a mile huh?" Do Jiwoon clicked his tongue. He then faced the humanoid shadow, whose red eyes were glowing menacingly. "Well, I suppose I have little choice." The shadow watched everything unfold. It knew Do Jiwoon was approaching the darkness, but it did not interfere, seeing how that boy was already half-broken. Its eyes remained glued on the two people, propping each other up, one more hurt than the other, but still full of spirit. It could not help voice out, "Humanity.. . is beautiful." Do Jiwoons mouth fell ck. "That thing can speak?" "Oh, it can do a lot more than that," Lee Dojin said andughed. Jiwoon reciprocated with his own chuckle. "Can''t wait to find out then." Lee Dojin shed forward, arriving next to the shadow. He punched out, and the shadow moved its head, dodging with ease. The shadow returned a punch, though it went blocked by Lee Dojin. The two of them remained in hand and handbat, until from the side, Do Jiwoon came, kicking the shadow in the face. Not expecting the attack, it could not dodge in time, flying away. "Why ,yo" Before finishing its sentence, Lee Dojin phased behind the shadow, kicking the things'' temple and bringing it to the ground. Do Jiwoon from behind, sent out several of his souls, all crashing into the shadow, creating a giant smokescreen. "Interesting, very interesting." The shadow swiped its hand, the fog, and debris flowing away, revealing it on the ground. It slowly stood up again, wiping its mouth. The shadow sped its palms together, and when opening them again, a giant spear appeared, in between. "Come." Lee Dojin and Do Jiwoon both smiled at the same time, though one looked heated, while the other ice-cold. The shadow swung its spear, creating almost a whirlwind, sucking anything nearby in. But in the first ce, the two of them weren''t nning on running away. Lee Dojin moved in fast, though the spear came already swinging on him. He ced his arms in a cross, catching the spear and twisting its path. The shadow moved its hands, changing his hold, and the moved, almost whiplike, and came around, pping Dojin''s head from behind. Do Jiwoon, once more appeared from a blind spot, and caught the shadow''s neck. And with a merciless pull, he turned the shadow''s head a clean 180 degrees. A vile crack resounded within the void, and the shadow''s neck turned bent. The shadow stared right into Do Jiwoon''s eyes. It grinned. "Your attacks do not work on me." Jiwoon felt his sweat flow backward, quickly retreating,nding right next to Lee Dojin. He asked with a baffled voice, "What kind of monster have you created?" The boy had forgotten, no attacks work on those shadows unless you were the ones to summon it. That meant that thing too was currently invincible to him. "At this point, I am unsure myself." Lee Dojin stood up again, his skull hurting. "Are you gonna run away?" "You''d wish so, huh?" Do Jiwoon put two of his fingers up. "Purgatory: Soul Symbiosis." At once, just like Lee Dojin had seen before, the souls around Do Jiwoon gathered, warping around him. Only this time, instead of creating an armor, it wrapped around his missing limbs and body parts, creating new ones. He pulled the bandages away, revealing his new body. His left arm and leg were jet ck ( though they gleamed slightly), with imprints of faces, that seemed to suffer horribly. He tucked his hair behind his ear. What was once a charred eye, had turned into a golden iris, with two white streaks swirling around. Lee Dojin whistled. "You got stronger already. Impressive." Do Jiwoon replied with a huff, and he moved forward, so fast, it almost appeared as if he had teleported. He arrived in front of the shadow, punching out. The shadow blocked it with his spear, but the thing caved in, unable to stop it, and the punch hit the shadow''s chest, sending it flying. "I can''t hurt it, but at least I can touch it." "That''s enough for me," Lee Dojin said, appearing next to the shadow. On his back, a pair of wings sprouted out. "Scorched Earth," he muttered, and with pinpoint uracy, his finger pierced the shadow''s neck, sending out a fiery ember that eradicated everything underneath him, turning it into mere ash. "Fu" the shadow could not mutter anything before the light enveloped it and sent it to its demise. The darkness surrounding them rapidly vanished, basking Seoul in the light created by Lee Dojin. Do Jiwoon squinted his eyes. The scene was too bright for him to see. "Did you seed?" Lee Dojin lifted his hands. He breathed out, a tired breath.As he looked down, the once-great tower had a giant burnt hole running down the middle. However, there was no sign of the shadow. "I think so." Yet, they were both wrong. Out of the blue, a great pressure, surrounded the two of them, pressing upon their shoulders. Lee Dojin looked afar, while Do Jiwoon turned his head, but as thetter saw a dark silhouette behind him, a sharp object pierced his shoulder, causing him to scream. The shadow returned, though looking tattered. It breathed heavily, and there was no darkness surrounding it anymore. Still, it was undeniably alive. Lee Dojin''s face scrunched together. "How many damn phases do you have?" He activated his ability, "This is myst one." The shadow dropped its arms to the ground, tired. Wings sprouted on its back, and it flew up into the dark sky. Do Jiwoon held his wound and wrapped it with bandages. Lee Dojin could not help admire his tenacity. He was like a zombie. A dark fog wrapped around the guy, and guided him into the air. From afar, souls began to gather, flying towards the shadow and attacking it. "It''s just a bunch of flies." It swatted the souls away, one by one. Though it looked simple, the shadow moved fast enough for it to leave after images. Lee Dojin phased forward. Now, everybody was high up in the sky. The three of them fought, trying to bring each other down. It was a war of attrition, as they were all hurt. Lee Dojin knew instinctively, the first to fall to the ground would be the loser. He constantly moved through the stars. Blood seeped out his nose. Even for him, this was straining. The shadow''s eyes moved left and right. Souls came from all sides, barraging it, while Lee Dojin kept attacking him, without giving him any chance to retaliate. It screamed out, a primal voice, devoid of any meaning. Dark liquid fell from his body, looking like blood. Lee Dojin closed his eyes. He moved his fingers. He kept moving through the stars, now fast enough that no one could see him. He seemed everywhere and nowhere at once. Never had he overloaded himself with this skill. He felt his head ringing. Yet, he knew it to be an inspiration. [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has reached level 50. Would you like it to undergo a small evolution now orter? The upgrade will take 5 hours.] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [Upgrade time has shortened due to an epiphany within a skill.] [...] [Your skill has sessfully evolved.] Blood sttered out of Lee Dojin''s mouth, but heughed loudly. [Skill: Cosmic Steps. Tier B, Level 1. Level 10 Evolution: Five times a day, the user cantch onto other living entities and likewise guide them through the stars. Level 50 Evolution: Switch ces with any entity standing within a star.] The shadow appeared in front of Do Jiwoon and stabbed out with its spear. Jiwoon did not dodge, instead, he parried, with a strike on his own. The two of them fell back. But the shadow had expected it, and it wasn''t finished. Taking the momentum from before, it struck back, aiming for Do Jiwoons glowing eye. The shadow was sure he could not dodge. However, as it was sure of its victory, the white-haired boy disappeared, switched by Lee Dojin, who grabbed the shadow by its wrist. He hit the thing in the face, causing its head to fling back. Lee Dojin stepped back."Oh, younded in the sweet spot." The shadow was rmed but didn''t understand what happened. It moved away, but just as it turned, it had realized the scenery had changed. Where was it? Why did its sight switch? Questions kept popping up, putting invisible pressure upon it. Lee Dojin kicked the shadow, who was still confused, and the monster flew to another star. He chuckled. He understood how the new evolution worked now. He phased around, sometimes switching with the shadow, giving it no time to fight back. "What''s going on?" The shadow quickly straightened itself. It lifted its head, but realized it was upside down. The things perception had been destroyed. Being in the sky, it couldn''t tell which way went down. Just in time, Do Jiwoon caught the shadow. "I wasn''t done with you." The souls in his golden eye swirled. "Purgatory: Road to Hell." It was unknown what exactly had happened, but staring into Jiwoons eye, the shadow stopped moving. Suddenly its skin started to bubble, then fall apart. Lee Dojin switched ces with Jiwoon, wings on his back. "Day of Judgement, Second Trumpet: Sunken World." ".. .Splendid." The shadow could only watch. Its face rapidly decayed. It did not understand how, but Do Jiwoons attack had connected. Facing the sky, the shadow was serene. With a mncholic voice, it uttered, "Too bad. I wanted to live a bit longer." Lee Dojin''s eyes widened ever so slightly. His fist, like a hammer that sealed fate, fell down, sinking the shadow toward its eternal end, burying it within nothingness. Chapter 70: Inciter Chapter 70: Inciter Lee Dojin breathed heavily. Staring down upon the destruction he had caused, it was hard for him to recognize this as the Lotte Tower he knew. Debris filled the ground, with the tall building on the verge of copsing. In the middle, a giant hole ran down, all the way to the ground, and even lower. Surrounding him, the rims and metal gates had copsed, with dead birds mushed and sttered, all copsed by their own weight. It was the aftermath of the Day of Judgement, Second Trumpet. He wiped the blood off his forehead. The shadow, he could confirm, was no more. Not only did he feel it, the endless messages running down in front of his face told him so too. [The warrior has sessfully created a legacy. An additional reward will be issued. Please prepare to receive it.] [The warrior has sessfully created a legacy. An additional reward will be issued. Please prepare to receive it.] [The warrior has sessfully created a Miracle. An additional reward will be issued. Please prepare to receive it.] [The warrior has achieved what was deemed impossible. A reward is yet to be calcted.] Lee Dojin let the messages wash over him. To ordinary people, they maye as a great shock, but for him, even in his previous life, this wasn''t anything new. There were several of these messages a yer could receive upon aplishing something that was not part of the main quest, yet had been too impressive to not be awarded. After restarting his life, he had been met with this type of message twice already. In his old world (andter on, this world too), these things were known as Blessed Messages; Blessed for they brought bountiful rewards. They had, in general, 4 ranks, their rarity in this order: Legacy. Myth. Miracle. Impossibility. A legacy, to Lee Dojin, was not that impressive. He had achieved these once by beating the sand kernels of the shadow and another time by reaching rank 1. Anyone surviving long enough in the apocalypse should have created at least one. In contrast, an impossibility, that was, as its name stated, supposed to be impossible. Something, unachievable even when blessed by Gods. Yet, here he was. Still, the good fortune was overwritten by thest message. [The System has noticed the Warrior.] Lee Dojin rubbed his eyes, seemingly annoyed. "What a pain." He groaned. That happened a lot faster than he imagined. He was hoping to stay undetected, but then again, putting the scope of todays achievements in mind, this was understandable. Even he did not expect things to be this big. However, he muttered, "This isn''t necessarily a bad thing." With more risk came twice as much reward. The boy slicked his hair back. He huffed. His eyes wandered looking for Do Jiwoon, only to realize he had disappeared. A sigh escaped him, coupled with dryughter. That guy was like a slithering snake, impossible to catch. Not that it mattered in the first ce. He stared into the open sky. The wind brushed past his bare skin, and as the adrenaline washed off, he began feeling cold. But it was refreshing. The stars high up glimmered beautifully, and he lifted his hands, trying to grab one of them. He felt closer to his goal. His life, which he had forfeited once, came flowing down the back of his mind, and he never felt freer. Slow pping suddenly broke his concentration. He immediately grew vignt, looking for the source of that sound, however, as Dojin turned his head, his eyes promptly fell upon Ji-ah and Hassan, who had appeared mysteriously before him. The two of them appeared equally confused, as if unsure how they had gotten here. "That was almost impable. I''d give it a 97 out of 100," a voice echoed through the darkness, and out stepped a tall man, with ming red hair, dressed only in a white robe. His eyes were upturned, giving him a devilish look. His bare feet walked through the many stones, making one wonder if it did not hurt. He continued pping, though no one really knew why. No one, except for one person, that was. Upon the sight of that man, Lee Dojin felt the blood drain out of his face, as he turned deadly pale. His hands began shaking, with sweat forming rapidly, rolling down his chin. He swallowed a thick ball of saliva, as his heart jumped up and down. Ever since he returnedno, maybe even before he transmigratedhe had never felt that much dread before. His mind churned rapidly, one thought connecting with one another, but he could make no sense out of it. He only had one question. Why was he here? The man cracked his fingers. He was nonchnt. "Now, you all may be wondering who I am, that is understandable." He smiled, his eyes turning to half-moons. "You fleshbags are quitecking in the knowledge department after all." He sighed. "I am a guide, sent by the system. Now, what does that mean? Well, that means I am responsible to exin the rules to you, whenever a game starts. I somewhat control what stories you walk through and what goals you have to achieve." He lifted his finger. "Simple, right? Anyways, nice to finally meet you." Hassans brows furrowed. "What? So, the apocalypse that is toe, will it be by the hands of you?" The red-haired man paused, staring curiously at him. "You know quite a lot for a neer. That might be why you won thest mission." Lee Dojin grabbed Hassan''s shoulder, trying to hint him to stop, but it was toote. Hassan talked, "Oh yes! I do!" He swung his hand. "It''s you, right? You are the one from the shadows. Why wait? We can just destroy you right here." "That was not very cool. I am deducting 2 points from your rating. Did you not listen? I am only a guide. I walk you through the paths, but I do not create your fate." He snapped his fingers. "We are all just mere cogs in this vast universe. Though some are more insignificant than others, haha!" Promptly, a bloodthirst so raw, bending space itself and withering the world and destroying all life itself leaked out that man, for just a split second. It crashed, like waves, sending strong winds through Seoul, blowing even the clouds away. Hassan, who came in contact with the bloodthirst, spat out a mouth full of blood and fell to his knees. Though it was less than a nano-second, he felt his throat squeeze up. In his whole life, he had nevere this close to death before, even when fighting the shadow itself. This man, no this thing, was the embodiment of fear. Ji-ah too tensed up, her face turning incredibly serious. Only Lee Dojin understood. This man was no ordinary creature. In his old world, he was known as the Inciter. One of the strongest beings in all the universes. Not just a simple guide. He himself had never seen him, but he had heard enough stories to spot him from a mile away. There were many rumors. That he could destroy a universe with a snap of his finger. That in mere seconds, he can make several worlds fall so in love with him that they''d die for the guy. That he collects trophies from all thes and heroes he had ended.. . the list went on. It was hard to know what was real, but Lee Dojin knew one thing that was undeniably true. He was as strong as the Usurper, the monster that killed him the previous lifeif not stronger. As a group of twelve, they stood at the pinnacle of all species and are the closest knights of The Mirage. Except for Lee Dojin, no one had ever put a scratch on them. He tensed up. So why was such a man in a remote ce like Earth? His fist clenched together. He had no strength left to fight. Winning.. . was harder than achieving an Impossiblity. "Oops, oops, that was close." The Inciter rubbed his head. " I am not here to kill you. Instead, I wish to bless you with rewards. My bad, my bad. I just got a bit excited. You see, ever since the Usurper died so miserably, I am in charge of this portion of the universe. I am just not used to you fleshy things, yet. Quite honestly, I cannot believe that you guys are just made out of pure meat. Really? I am giving that a 64/100 on the disgusting scale." Heughed alone. "Moving on, I am the Inciter. One of the Twelve Heavenly Signs. Oh, wait, without the Usurper, I guess we are only eleven now. Eh, you will learn what that meanster on." Lee Dojin stepped in front, gently cing Hassan on his back. The prince would be fine, there was no way the Inciter would really kill him. He was still unsure of why that person came here, but thinking about it was no use. First, he had to aplish the matters at hand. "It doesn''t matter who you are." Seeing that man, his eye gleamed in a mysterious glow. He was sure. One day, he''d return to his old strength, no, reach even greater heights, and with his own hands, he would have to kill the Inciter. "Why are you here?" The Inciter squinted his eyes. He appeared amused. "I am unsure if you are brave, ignorant, or foolish. It''s hard to give you a rating. But I personally like that attitude." Heughed. "Well, for the first reward, let me bestow you guys with a new skill, how about it?" Chapter 71: Divergent Skill — Novas End Chapter 71: Divergent Skill ¡ª Nova''s End "Ah new skill, are you serious?" Hassan peeked through his hands. He still did not dare look the Inciter in the eye, but the news was too incredible to show no reaction. "That''s nuts," he muttered. Though he was unsure of its worth, he had tried innumerable meansshort of murderto try gain even more skills. He could not prove it, but he was sure his brother had done many unspeakable acts just to gain even one more ability. Still, nothing they tried worked. Everyone understood the importance of a skill. In fact, one had to be an idiot to pass off such an opportunity. That, Hassan, was sure of. Yet, for the life of him, he could not find any way of gaining new abilities. A skill was scarcer than finding a precut diamond in the desert. Hearing this news, Hassan''s blood boiled, and momentarily, he forgot about the pain. Lee Dojin wasn''t as shocked as the prince, though the reward came as a pleasant surprise to him too. He had not expected things to work out this way. The reward he wanted had yet toe, but that did not mean he could not enjoy the unexpected benefits beforehand. "Good reaction. I like it. I like it." The Inciter nodded his head in appreciation. "This reward is for beating the sentient shadow. It has to be of this magnitude, judging how you all managed to destroy something far out of your league." He spread his arms. "Rejoice, the great thing about being as weak as ants is how easy it is to level up, and the rewards thus hold potential to be even greater." Ji-ah looked confused. She faced the two guys next to her. As she hadn''t been part of The Mirage for a long, she hadn''t quite taken in the effort it took to get a skill. She remembered Lee Dojin saying something about learning one through gaining experience and achievements based on their Affinity, but there was still a lot she did not know. "Why not, I am in a good mood. This info is a freebie." The red-haired man lifted his finger, he began to exin. "The only way for you to gain skills based on your Affinity is bypleting a bunch of hidden achievements unique to every person. For example, a person with the Affinity Poison, who is supposed to use it in a sinister way, could gain spells by creating a new toxin, killing a whole town with poison, or swallowing enough toxic waste to be immune. Nothing esle works. There''s not much you can do about that. Such is thew of The Mirage." He smiled. "However, as a guide, I can use a loophole to bless you with something called Divergent Skill." Ji-ah voiced her doubts. "What does that mean?" This time, it was Lee Dojin to chime in. "A Divergent Skill is not based on your own Affinity." "Wait, how do you know that?" Te Inciter suddenly eyed Hassan suspiciously. "It''s you, the damn prophet again huh? Minus 10 points for you! Spoilers!" He growled at Hassan, who felt wronged by the misunderstanding. "That half-naked boy is correct though. The normal skills you gain are actually known as an ''Affinity Skill'', we just shorten it to the word ''Skill'' since it rolls on the tongue." He faced Ji-ah. "A Divergent Skillbines your Affinity with another attribute, creating something entirely new. Isn''t that exciting?" Heughed. "For you guys, the Divergence I chose is Shadow." "Shadow?" He snapped his fingers. "Let''s start with that tall and tan man first, so I can send him away since he annoys me." Immediately, in front of Hassan, a message appeared, much like all the ones by the system. He jumped back, startled, but realizing what it was, started reading its contents. As he continued, his breath quickened, until it almost appeared he''d hyperventte. [Skill: Beneath the Living. Tier B, Level 1. Through activation of this skill, the user gains the ability to see the recently deceased (48 hours, or until their souls diminished), and may converse with them as if they still resided within the living world. A decent amount of charisma is required, as the deceased may choose not to answer or react. *Note: This is a Divergent Skill, created from the Unity of ''Shadow'' and ''Sight''. Rules may change ordingly.] "This is incredible.. ." Hassan remained dazed, re-reading his new skill over and over again. He felt like a little kid in a world full of toys. He inadvertently asked himself, when was thest time he had this wondrous feeling? When he first entered The Mirage? No, at that time, the tension and dread had overwhelmed any curiosity he felt. This sensation, to him, it as if he had met his mother again, filling him with peace. He nced at Lee Dojin. Within one night, his life had been changed so mucheven though the person responsible may not have realized. Doors, which had remained shut seemed to have opened, creating new paths for him. If anything, he''d definitely have to pay him back for today, he swore that on his royal name. "Well, see ya'' around." The Inciter yawned. "Hope you are still alive the next time we meet." He swiped his hands. "What do you me hey, wait! Are you serious? I was having a moment." Hassan slowly felt himself phase away. "Hey, after your rewards, meet up at the front door of this bui" He could not finish his sentence as he was teleported back to where he once came from. "Moving on, this one I am quite excited for." A broad grin appeared on his face as he eyed Ji-ah. Though Lee Dojin found his face repulsive, he had to agree. Baek Ji-ah bore the Affinity of Light. The Divergency was Shadow. They both anticipated with bated breaths on what skill she''d get. Only Ji-ah was oblivious to her once-in-a-lifetime chance. An unusually long message appeared. Ji-ah read it out loud with much interest. The Inciter and Lee Dojin pricked their ears. [Skill: Heaven and Hell. Tier S, Level 1. The user wields two diametrically opposing forces, now bearing a gift no God would allow. Through various forms of maniption, the user binds shadows with light, changing thews of the universe as they see fit. Heaven and Hell, First Path: Nullification. By drawing upon both shadow and light, the user can temporarily create a void where no Affinities or Magic exists. The duration is dictated by the user''s stamina. *Note: This is a Divergent Skill, created from the Unity of ''Shadow'' and ''Light''. Rules may change ordingly.] "Oh dear! That''s the highest rank! Incredible!" The Inciter was the first to react, using words he''d normally never say. "Incredible, incredible! Who''d have imagined it toe from this backwater world of Earth? I knew it was a right choice to descend here." Lee Dojin was shocked speechless. This was simr to Do Jiwoons Purgatory, which allowed him to use several abilities within one skill. However, the level of Ji-ah''s skill was iparably higher than Do Jiwoons. Still, at the same time, hemented. With Ji-ah''s waning body, it was almost ironic to give her a power so massive she could not wield. If she were to overexert herself, would she end up dying before aplishing anything? Ji-ah''s brows scrunched together. She too knew, this skill, although strong, was like the Excalibur, unable to leave the stone-sheath. In her current state, near-useless. Still, if she ever came to control it.. . "Then, let us continue," The Inciter said with glimmering eyes. With a wave of his hand, he sent Ji-ah away. Now, it was only him and Lee Dojin standing atop the tall tower. The manughed. "You, you are a curious child." His eyes then turned serious. "Quite honestly, I have never seen your Affinity before. Choice. I wonder, is it something specific to you Earthlings? You three are an intriguing lot, I see. Say, you aren''t hiding anything, right?" A fiendish smile escaped him. "Rx, I am joking. I''ve only been to this universe since around 2 weeks earthtime. I am sure there''s still lots to learn." Lee Dojin felt a tremor within his throat, but he hid it deep within his heart. "Before bestowing a skill to me, I want to ask you something." His face turned cold. "That Usurper that you speak of.. . How did he perish?" "Curious boy, aren''t you? Shall I deduct some points off you?" Bloodthirst started to leak from the red-haired man''s body. However, to his astonishment, Lee Dojin appeared unbothered. "Well, it would be tooplex for you to grasp. But I shall still answer. In essence, he got too greedy with his food and perished within his own yground. I heard some details, but I am unsure of the grand scale. Frankly, I do not know nor care for who killed him, or what got to him. In fact, I''d love to kill him myself, seeing how he left me with double the work to manage." He paused. "Though I suppose, it also helped expand my territory, which I am thankful for. Quiteplex, I say. But I am not in a hurry. If that person was strong enough to kill the Usurper, I am sure I''ll bump into then one day. Well, it''s nothing you have to worry about." "Is that so." Lee Dojin sighed. But unbeknownst to the man in front of him, it was filled with relief. If even the Inicter, one of the Twelve Heavenly Signs did not recognize him, he may still have some time to stay low before The Mirage realized he had transmigrated. Excellent. "Well moving on, I came only here to observe the Light Affinity woman. I do not care the slightest for you. So shall we move it forward?" Lee Dojinughed carefreely. "Sure, I''d hate to waste the great Inciters time, huh?" "ttery will get you nowhere.. . plus 4 points." He moved his hand. The new Skill appeared in front of Lee Dojins eyes: [Skill: Nova''s End. Tier B, Level 1. Upon activation, a ck ball swirls around the user. Matter, fate, timeit swallows everything, leaving no trace behind. The user freely controls where the ball flies and feeds. But careful, for the more the ball eats the choices of others, the more it develops its own. *Note: This is a Divergent Skill, created from the Unity of ''Shadow'' and ''Choice''. Rules may change ordingly.] Chapter 72: For Now Chapter 72: For Now "Hey, so tell me, what did you get?" The Inciter looked over Lee Dojin''s shoulder. Lee Dojin shrunk back. "I thought you didn''t wanna know?" "I changed my mind," he said. "I want to see what made you have that reaction." Lee Dojin held his mouth. Was it that obvious, he asked himself. Well, maybe it was. But who could fault him for that? Reading that description, he simply had no choice but to be shocked. Ability-wise, that sounded really over-powered. Yet, it was only ranked B? Why? The Inciter watched over him with a smile, seemingly filled with anticipation. Lee Dojin''s moved a few steps back again. If he told that guy his ability, it''d sure turn annoying. He didn''t mind if the Inciter found him suspicious, but there was no point revealing the cards in his hand to a future enemy for no reason. He was confident, not stupid. "I don''t want to tell you." "Tsk. You are a cheapskate, you know that? You just sunk considerably in my personal point system, you know that?" The Inciter clicked his tongue and saw that Lee Dojin did not care. "Well, never mind that. Don''t regret it in the future okay? I may look like this but I am quite the bigshot." "Well, let''s keep these problems for the future, shall we?" Lee Dojinughed. "So, what''s it going to be? Are there any other rewards?" "You are so greedy," the Inciter sighed. "But, there is." He snapped his fingers, but a message did not appear. ".. .What''s going on?" He snapped his fingers once more, but nothing changed. "Hold up," he said, then looked up into the sky. Lee Dojin rested his butt on the floor. He breathed out, rxing. "This will probably take a while, so why don''t you take a seat?" The Inciter''s brows furrowed. He ignored Lee Dojin, but he began to talk in anguage unknown to earthlings. However, what the man did not expect was that the human was no ordinary person. "The hell you mean, you''re still calcting the reward? This is the first-ever quest in this world, how long can it take? You are embarrassing me here." Lee Dojin listened to the man talking. Outwardly, he did not look that way, but he was paying great attention. "You have to get approval from at least two more Heavenly Signs? Are you kidding me? Do you know how long that is gonna take? Even I haven''t seen them since forever." The Inciter''S voice grew more irate the more he talked. "It''s just a puny little. Just make it the original reward, but better." He paused. Was he listening? "Unbnced? Like I care. Who do you think I am?" "Come on? What''s the hold-up? You talked like you were hot shit just a second before." Lee Dojin leaned back. "Hahaha, don''t tell me you are some kind of low-level scrub?" ".. . I will rip you apart." In the end, he also took a seat down. He changednguages again. "Yeah, yeah. I will take responsibility. Just move it along." A message appeared right after, only for Lee Dojin to see. [Your reward has been issued. Please prepare to receive it.] Lee Dojin opened his hand, and in there appeared a white piece of paper with some scribbles on it. "What''s this? Oh, a ticket?" "Let me see it too," The Inciter said, watching over his shoulder. "Oh, how interesting. But I suppose it makes sense. Now, is that your fortune or will it be worthless? He cackled, reading what''s written on there. "Well, this is your next reward, only meant for the party leader." He sped his hands together. "Congrattions for creating the world''s biggest shadow and actually beating it. If you''d have diedwhich you honestly should haveit''d be for naught, but as a reward, you have earned an Impossibility Achievement, isn''t that great?" He watched Lee Dojin''s reaction. "This ticket is a nk Check." Another message appeared for Lee Dojin to see. [nk Check Rarity: ??? A ticket issued by one of the strongest beings in the universe. Choose any item within A-Rank that he possesses, and he shall reward the yer with it. The ticket can be traded, but the being may not acknowledge its validity depending on the person.] "Interesting. Interesting." The Inciter smiled, his eyes turned into half-moons. "You know, originally, beating the shadow meant you could choose a single Artifact from a pre-determined, but I suppose in light of your achievement, that''d be a bad trade." He rubbed his head. "I suppose it''s telling me to take responsibility for forcing your reward." "fate does work in mysterious ways." Lee Dojin smiled too. He could not contain his excitement. A peal ofughter escaped him. "This was it, this is what I''ve been working for." No, in actuality, it was a bit better than he had hoped. Everything he did until now, that is, reaching rank 1 and beating the shadows was for this single reward. "Well, but this time, you won''t get a list. It''s not like I can''t give you one, but you have to know, from all the species within the many universes, I am the person that owns the most stuff." He huffed. "I am a collector after all. You''re just a baby that doesn''t know anything, yet. I mean, you don''t even know what the First Advent is. So keep the ticket for when you might find something you find promising, but don''t lose the ticket hahaha!" The Inciter chuckled with a wicked expression. Did it have something malicious in mind? Lee Dojin could probably guess that man''s thoughts. This ticket had now be the most valuable thing within the universe. It was no exaggeration when the Inciter said he had many things. To gain ess into his vault.. . how many people would kill for that chance? "No need to wait, I know what I want." The Inciter probably thought Lee Dojin was a simple frog in the well. But he could not be more wrong. "Give me Lucifers Shard." For the first time, a crack appeared on the Inciters''s face, and his countenance turned un imaginably serious. ".. .How do you know about that thing?" "That ain''t your business. You have it or not?" Lee Dojin crossed his arms. "Boy. Do you think I am joking?" Immediately, great bloodthirsty leaked out The Inciter, one iparable to what he shot at Hassan. His eyes lost the light and he had a frost expression as he stared down at him. "Tell me. How do you know about an item to create the Divine Gate?" "Hahahaha. To think such a day woulde." Lee Dojin remained carefree, still sitting on the ground. Suddenly his eyes glowed with a red light. Unbelievably, Lee Dojin had sent his own wave of bloodthirst back. "Does it matter how?" Though he was moons away from his prime, at one point he was able to contest The Usurper. He could not create bloodlust, be he sure as hell wouldn''t fear it. The Inciter felt his lips quivering. His eyes opened wide. This boy was crazy. "What. .. in The Mirages name." In all his long life, he had never been this surprised before. Someone in this backwater managed to withstand his might? Impossible. "Last warning." He grabbed Lee Dojin''s head. "How can you possibly know one of the keyponents for the Second Advent?" The man''s face was darker than the shadows. "Well, if you want to know so badly, force me. Kill me if you wish to." Lee Dojin grabbed the Inciter''s wrist. He tried moving it, but naturally, it did not work. Yet, he didn''t despair. "But you can''t, right? Not while giving me rewards." "You''re a unique one, I tell you that." He had a mocking tone. "Was it the prophet? No, impossible. No being can see the machinations of The Mirage." "You, you''re interesting. Do you not fear death? No, that''s not it. There''s something different about you." A mysterious smile crept up his face. "But sadly for you, I don''t have it right now." "It doesn''t matter," Lee Dojin said with a nonchnt voice. "Then give me Ariadnes String or Tiamats'' Scales. It doesn''t really matter." "You are unbelievable. There''s no way this is just a coincidence right?" The Inciter''s eyes widened considerably. Heughed dryly. "Rest assured, I may not have it now, but when I will find it, I will bring it to you. You have my word." The man clicked his tongue. "You should know that Lucifers Shard is a tier higher than the other two. Considering your ns, that''s the least you need, right?" "I am unsure of what you are talking about." The Inciter paused. His smile did not disappear. "That reminds me, there was another reward. The one about creating life," he said. He rubbed his head. "I don''t have anything more to give you quite honestly. Actually, how about this? Why don''t you join me?" "What?" "I am unsure of the things you know, and even though I am interested, I won''t pry for now. But I find you interesting." The Inicter lifted his finger, exining. "I can ce you under my wing and protect you. In the uing apocalypse, you should understand what that entails, right? You won''t have to worry about anything. All the dreams you have, I can make them true." "Eh, not interested." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulder and nced away. "For now, I will walk my own path." "How disappointing. That''s minus 50 points." The Inciter shook his head. Even though he said all that, he didn''t seem the least disappointed. Instead, his face appeared. .. happy? "But if you ever change your mind, I will wait. Until then, the least I can bestow you is this:" A message popped up in front of Lee Dojin. [The 4th Heavenly Sign, The Inciter, has acknowledged you.] His eyes shot wide open. He stared at the Inciter. But before any words could leave his mouth, the man waved his hands, and Lee Dojin disappeared, right at the doors where Hassan and Ji-ah stood, patiently waiting to receive him. Chapter 73: The Inheritor of The Universe II Chapter 73: The Inheritor of The Universe II Lee Dojin returned home, arriving right in front of his doorsteps. Yet, he was just a few meters shy of stepping in. His crooked appearance, with his tattered clothes, wasn''t something he was particrly fond of showing his mother. Hassan and Ji-ah weren''t by him anymore. They left, after talking about several things, ns and strategies, that bore no relevance at this current date yet. Lee Dojin sighed with a smile. "One step at a time, huh?" He scratched his head and opened the door. The surrounding was dark. After all, it was still night. His mother must have gone to sleep, he thought. Which was fine. He closed the door behind him, then slumped down, a wave of fatigue washing over him. For the first time, he felt at ease, looking at the still scenery of a house devoid of life. The whole world was tinted a dark blue, no light to be seen. It gave off a mncholic feeling, yet Lee Dojin found this space rxing, albeit a little cramped. The boy let his thoughts swirl in peace, unburdened by any responsibilities. A silent peal ofughter escaped his mouth, swirling through the corridor. "I am home," he said. "I am d you made it," his mother''s voice resounded from afar, much to his surprise. Lee Dojin perked up, and immediately straightened himself, walking towards the source of that sound. Arriving at the dining table, his eyes widened slightly. His mother, Lee Seunhee, sat there with a ss of water in her hand, ncing through the window into the far distance. The moonlight illuminated her icy expression, painting it a pale white. Her ck hair was ented by the darkness. Lee Dojin thought to himself, the reason for light and shadow to co-exist was surely to create such a beautiful, ephemeral picture. "Take a seat, son." "Mom," he muttered. Lee Seunhee ced her ss down. "Sit." Lee Dojin did not fight back. He ced himself opposite of her, looking straight at her face. "I thought you were already asleep." "The bright light kept me awake," she replied. "Then again, how can I sleep knowing my son is out there fighting?" "Why would I be fighting?" Lee Dojin said with lightheartedughter. "Oh well, it is about my getup, right? I suppose, looking at me, I couldn''t just get away by saying I fell, huh?" He waited for his mother''s response, but there came none. "Do not worry. It hase to an end already." "But new ones are yet to start." For a second, the boy''s expression froze. "What do you mean?" For the first time, Lee Seunhee looked at Lee Dojin, and at once, a cold shiver ran down the boy''s spine. Not because of fear, but because of the shock of seeing someone long gone. His mother spoke, "My little Lightbringer, Lee Dojin, how did you fare against The Mirage?" Lee Dojin''s mouth cked down. He leaned back, his head facing the ceiling. "Mom, no, Mother," he said, "You''re back." He squinted his eyes, holding the turmoil in his mind. It would seem he wasn''t mistaken, his mom, Lee Seunhee, was already asleep. The person he was talking to was now Xh''Endrada, the Concubine of All Things Parallel. The Outer God, the mother of his past life. "It hasn''t been that long, but it feels like an eternity has passed," Xh''Endrada said, "That must mean you have spent time well. I am proud of you, son." "Mother, how are you still alive?" The Outer God did not reply. No, she only smiled mysteriously. "I''ve learned from my peers. At one point, therees a time where your child will spread its wings, and depart on the road it was destined to fly. But that does not mean a mother must abandon her hatchling. How could I leave you in this world alone, when I have so much to give? To teach? To love?" Her eyes fell on Lee Dojin, and he felt as if every fiber of his has been seen through. "You have already taken a path different from before. Not one as the light that pierces the clouds, but as something much, much purer. Choice. You represent the Will of All Beings, dear. I havee, one more time to guide you." Lee Dojin closed his eyes. "I see." "You do not seem surprised." "I had a hunch," The Inheritor of the Universe spoke. "Ever since I fought the hooligans in the shopping mall. My ability, Cosmic Steps, not only allows me to move incredibly fast but also gives me the ability to see the ws of the universe." He activated his skill, and soon, innumerable stars appeared within his world. But the brightest to shine was not the one within his own body, but the star glowing within his mother''s chest. "You and I are both ws of this universe. I understand, for me, because I am originally not part of this ce. But what about you?" The Concubine of All Things Parallel pped her hands. "So it was like that. I was careless. But to be honest, I didn''t expect you to figure it out." "Hey, I''m not that big of an idiot, okay?" "Haha, you''re always full of surprises." She smiled. "It is as you say. This universe is not for me. For you to understand what I mean, you must first understand what principles govern our vast multiverse and its choices. As you know, every single choice leads to the birth of a new entire world. It is innumerable, vast, chaotic, and without form, which is why I, the governor of this process, have categorized these universes in three sections: The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma." Lee Dojin quickly turned serious. He knew that what his mother was talking about now pertained to the secret of deities. Things not to be known for simple lifeforms. For him too, it is the first time hearing this story. His mother was always secretive, revealing almost nothing of her divinity, so he never really understood what she was truly capable of. "The Alpha universes are the origins of all worlds. With every choice we make, we all create new worlds, but there has to be a ce where we all started from. That''s an alpha universe. You, Lee Dojin were from such a universe. Every branch of choice ever created originated from one of the Alpha universes. There exist a total of twelve of them. I am sure you understand what that means?" Hearing these words, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck through him. "The Twelve Heavenly Signs," he muttered. "It is no mere coincidence that these numbers collide." His mother nodded. "You must understand, every Alpha universe is radically different from each other. Even though there are innumerable Earths, it is only part of one single Alpha universe. Within the other eleven, there resides a separate set of physics, one presumably hard for you to grasp. Still, they built the foundation of all the divergent universes toe." She paused, drinking a sip of water. "But for you, that is not important right now. If an Alpha universe is the pinnacle of originality, then Gamma universes are the opposite, a collection of innumerable replicas. One single choice difference. That is what creates a Gamma universe. One so infinitely simr to the Origin, you could spend a lifetime searching for it, yet, it could never reach perfection. It is only a small speck of candlelight, fluttering in a hurricane, and if it did not change, it would vanish. Such is the universe you currently reside in." Lee Dojin swallowed his saliva. A Gamma universe, by the statement of his mother, was something unstable, as it only allowed one single choice. As another fork-roades, history once more branches in two, creating two more Gamma universes. However, the previous universe thatid the foundation of such choice, without a doubt, would vanish. That''s what it meanta Gamma universe, a world with only one choice. Certainly, it was just a candle in the wind. His mother continued. "Or that''s how it should have been. You see, my child, while watching over the many deities, I realized something. Why, even though we were all gods, did they bring life to so many miracles and creations, while I stood there, with nothing that I could call my own?" Her hands trembled, as he balled a fist. "I was envious. And at one point, I too, started to dream. Dreaming of what-ifs.. . What if you and I had been birthed differently, like a normal family, in a normal household, living in a normal world. I dreamed of these things so often, there would be no number to it. An thus, a world manifested, from my simple wish." She spread her arms out, her shadows emphasized by the moonlit night. "Do you understand Lee Dojin? In this Gamma universe, the only thing different in this world is you." Lee Dojin''s eyes shot wide open. Yet, he could not say a word. The differences in this world, he had wondered, how were they decided? Why were some things as he remembered, while others were different? He understood now. It was so simple, really. The single choice that diverged: His existence. "This world, this universe, is my only creation. I dedicate my life''s work to you." His mother breathed out. "For this reason, my little Dojin, you are the Inheritor of the Universe." Chapter 74: Humanity Chapter 74: Humanity Suddenly, his mother''s voice turned somber. "But even in this universe, I could not be a good mother to you." She faced the ground. "Though this world was created by me, I could only leave it to its own devices as I went fighting off The Shadows. It was never my intention for things to end up like this." She paused. "But when I had returned to this universe, you were already dead." Lee Dojin let his mother talk without interruption. She held her face, her back hunched. "Suicide. That was the reason. I could not believe it. My Lee Dojin, who was so strong in the other world would take his own life like that. It wasn''t eptable to me." The God turned quiet. She had a sad smile. "But then, why did I not understand? You were only human, and me, I was selfish to wish for love I didn''t deserve." Lee Dojin stood up. He walked to his mother and leaned against the table. His mouth opened. "I see." She continued talking. "I doubt I was ever meant to be a mother. Still, the times you''ve given me, though only short, are one of the most treasured moments within my lonely life." She swallowed. "It''s funny. When I waited for you, I had so many things I wanted to tell you. But now, the words have dried out." The two of them faced each other with their backs. A single bird started twittering, as a first sign of the morning. No matter what things you went through, the next day would alwayse, with the sun rising from the east. It was no different this time. Lee Dojin spoke. "You have done your best. I forgive you." "That is awfully nice of you to say," Xh''Endrada jested. "But empty words mean nothing within the devastating truth." "I don''t believe that." Heughed without any worries. "Though it may be hard for you Gods to understand, in the end, it is quite simple. If you put your pride and divinity aside, you''d see, sometimes, it is enough if you have tried your best." His mother shook her head. "That indeed is hard to understand." "I cannot fault that." The boyughed. "But that''s why I love humanity." His mother smiled. The depressing mood lifted a little. She resumed talking. "Lee Dojin, you have to understand. This universe you reside in is special. It is neither an alpha, beta or gamma universe. No god knows the ending of this world. Maybe it will fall off, with nothing to achieve, or maybe it will bring the end of the unstoppable Mirageit is impossible to tell. But I believe in you." Sheughed. "I have faith in your decision, as I too havee to understand humanity more." The moonlit winter night shone upon them. Gradually it turned brighter. Yet, the night was still too overwhelming. Lee Dojin, In the back of his mind, knew, as the sun was about the rise, The Mirage woulde, calling upon the apocalypse, destroying the peaceful life of humanity. But he remained glued to his mother, and the words she spoke. For Lee Dojin, kinship was an unfamiliar experience. He was born an orphan, with parents he never metthat was no secret. Throughout his life, he hade to meet many people, some, he''d dare call his kin. But he never understood, what was it like being connected by blood? ''Family'' to him, was a word he found hard to utter. Not because he never had someone worth trusting (it was the contrary, he had manyrades, who ced him closer than their pedigree), but because he never found himself worthy of calling someone ''family''. Because, how could he use a definition he had never felt before? "As you know, if nothing is done, this world will end just like your old universe. The Mirage, if it wanted to, could probably destroy this world in a few seconds. After swallowing my divinity, it was now capable of jumping between the twelve Alpha Universes. Frankly speaking, it is impossibly strong." She continued rambling. Truthfully, Lee Dojin had never seen her so honest and raw before. He understood many things his mother had never voiced out in the past, and many things, she won''t ever again. As such, he had to listen. "The Gods of this universe stand no chance. They are different from the universe you came from. Except for one, they do not even know the existence of parallel universes." He let her speak, as this was not a topic he could interfere with. "But within the hopeless reality, there lies a chance." She smiled. "Ever since I lived with you, I too have started believing in humanity. They are wed, broken, selfish, greedy, and ignorant. Yet, they try. They try because they know of failure. Innumerable failures, riddled in regret, and they can cry for it. Gods, they are never wrong, and that is their doom. Only those able to rise from their tears can survive." Her eyes glistened as she looked up. "The ones to beat The Mirage will not be the Gods. It will be humanity. I know that well. That is my light. And that is why I can ce my faith upon you." "I understand, mother." Lee Dojin clenched his fist, veins appearing on his arm. "I understand well." "The Mirage will always be the same. It grants the weak, power to fight the strong, and pits them against each other," his mother continued speaking. For some reason, it seemed like she was in a hurry. "Though in the end, it destroys them both, taking the power back, and swallowing new ones, bing even stronger. Still, it gives us a chance. If you turn strong fast enough, not even the system can overwhelm you. Funnily enough, the weapon to destroy The Mirage always lied within itself." "I shall remember that." He nodded solemnly. "You''ve been burdened, my son. Forgive me, your foolish parent, for being unable to help you." A tear appeared on Xh''Endradas face, it slid down her face, like mellow dew down a pale leaf in the morning. "Even though you carry everything on your shoulder, I am helpless. I cannot grant you any power, any ability, any constion. All I have are empty words." Lee Dojin turned around. He hugged his mother. "You have done enough." He grabbed her tight. "You can rest now." Tears continued welling up, dripping down his mother''s face. Still, she looked serene. "I will soon disappear," she said. Lee Dojin''s eyes opened wide. "As soon as The Mirage appears, I will no longer be part of this world." "Wait, what are you saying," Lee Dojin asked, confused. He looked at his mother. "What do you mean? What?" "Do not fret," she said, touching his face. "Have you forgotten? I am already dead. The me right now is only an empty shell, waiting to decay. My time has long been over." "Are you joking?" Lee Dojin continued to ask. "Tell me you are joking." The God smiled. Out of the blue. cracks appeared upon her face, and within space. Lee Dojin realized it was just like the day he had arrived in this universe. He understood what that meant. She really was going to disappear. "I have lived a lonely life, for eons, drifting in outer space, alone, with no one to recognize me, watching over a cold machine." She faced Lee Dojin. Her expression appeared sad, yet relieved. "But I do not regret it. Every God dreams of leaving a legacy, for as long as people remember them, they have not truly died. The Mirage understands that too. For a God to die, all traces of it has to be gone, which is why it destroys the world so thoroughly." Her already pale face turned as white as a sheet. Cracks continued forming, small ones creating bigger ones. "For me, Lee Dojin is my only legacy. You will remember me. Thus, I am not scared of the darkness." Lee Dojin lifted his mother up, tightly holding on to her. He realized that she was incredibly cold. "Do not talk anymore, please," he muttered with a pained expression. The space around her twisted, and he could do nothing to stop it. "I have even made a friend, thanks to you." Her voice has turned smaller. "The woman has helped me raise you at the time I did not understand anything of you humans. If there was one thing I am sad about, it is that I cannot see her anymore." She coughed. "Though she was rarely there, I consider her a parent to you too." ".. ." Lee Dojin could not say anything anymore. He looked his mother in the eye. The light was diminishing rapidly. He had seen this urrence many times before. The will to live had faded, and the person had started to embrace death. This was the end. "There''s onest thing," she said. "At one point, The Mirage wille to steal your Affinity again. I will never ept that. This power was mine, to begin with. This time, I will hold on to it strongly." She lifted her shaking hand. "Come close, please." Lee Dojin, with a hardened expression, followed her order. He was close enough to feel her breath. She then ced her lips on his forehead, and at once, a blue light enveloped him. His mouth ckened. For a second, he felt weightless. As if riding on a cloud. "What did you.. ." His mother only smiled. Lee Dojin could not finish his sentence. Instead, he ced his hand above the god''s face and closed her eyelids. Xh''Endrada, the Concubine of All Things Parallel has perished. A long silence hung above Lee Dojin until he started mumbling. "You are my only mother." His lips quivered. "The other woman, I will never ept as my parent. But still, you two, I am grateful for." He closed his eyes and breathed in. "For you were my family." He opened his eyes again. They were filled with darkness. He ced his mother on the floor and walked to the window. The first rays of light shone upon him. His nails dug into the flesh of his fist, causing him to bleed. No matter what things you went through, the next day would alwayse, with the sun rising from the east. It was no different this time. "The Mirage, no matter what, I will kill you." Volume 1 End. Chapter 75: VOLUME 1 — Afterthought Chapter 75: VOLUME 1 ¡ª Afterthought DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER IF YOU JUST WANT TO CONTINUE READING THE STORY. So, with the end of Volume 1which could be considered a prologuewe are now finally moving to the big stages. First of all, I want to thank you (the readers) for apanying Lee Dojin on his journey. It has been approx. half a year since I started writing the story, and most of the time, when I had no motivation, it was you guys''ments and support that helped me to keep going. Without you, this novel would not have been close to what it could be. Thank you very much! In this special chapter, I would like to discuss certain things surrounding the first volume, giving you my thoughts and what went into the process of writing. I understand that this may not be interesting for everyone, so I will not hold it against you for skipping this afterthought. I. I think, writing in general, is an enlightening experience. You put words on the paper, and you learn to discuss things you never had words for before. It is, to me, a soul-searching experience. For those who have read my bookswhether it was Rebirth of a Broken Demoness, Store of Fates, or any other short storythey''d quicklye to realize the simrities in the stories. I get quite a lot of reviews, many expressing their opinion on the philosophical nature of my novels. Certainly, it is not something expected in a web novel, and it certainly wasn''t my intention to make the Fallen Lightbringer''s Return a heavy philosophy book (those things are a drag to read through), but I do believe that any reading material should offer a thinking experience or at least a different perspective. That is not to say that an author should filibuster their ideas down the reader''s throat, or put nonsensical riddles within the textsthat is one of the worst things to do. Instead, through seeing the characters struggling within the world, the reader may perceive a natural change of value, without even realizing it. Continuing down that road, through that knowledgees investment (into the story and its setting) and atst emotion (for the characters). And I think an emphasis on emotions is the best thing any story could give its reader. There are many books that sell a lotmercially but are forgotten over the years, while other small books remain in the corner of your mind forever. That is because emotions are what stays the longest with us. No matter how many views an author holds, I personally believe if it does not evoke any emotions, it cannot count itself sessful. A book is the easiest way to convey your thoughts while being entertaining at the same time. It would be a shame not to use it as such. As such, all my novels may contain manyplicated thoughts and ideas, but they are and conveyed in an emotional way to not only guide, but please at the same time. In essence, a novel, for me, is a group adventure between you, the reader, and me, the author. Here, in this Prologue, the overarching ''philosophical'' discussion was society. There were many types of characters,ing from different backgrounds, but they all held the same struggles, which was finding their space within the society. We have high-schoolers, just at working age, wondering which road to go. For some, like Park Hansoo or Kim Jyejin, they have their roads nned out for them, while others, like Wonho and Heeson, have no idea where to go. Then, we have adults, like Ji-ah or Heesons sister, who followed their dreams, or the people from a gang, who got forced into their upation. They all lived different facets of life, but hold one thing inmon. None of them know what their future entails. They do not understand if the road they walk will be the correct one. Within all that, we have our protagonist Lee Dojin, and the main antagonist of this Volume, Do Jiwoon. What they stand for, I think every reader has their own perception, but in essence, they stand opposite of each other. It is hard to say who is right or wrong. However, they, with knowledge of the future, both hold the power to guide the lost souls. My novels are always simr. through supernatural/fantastical means, wee to discuss the meaning of life, with our protagonist/antagonist as the revolving chess piece. Interestingly enough, they always reach a different answer. The same will go for me and you. As we finish the novel, and the paths of our lives branch away, we will both hold a different value about the meaning of life. I just hope you havee closer to what you were looking for when you''ve read until the end. II. Even though I write about fantasy, I myself do not believe in magic. As far as I know, there is no magic in this world. We are filled with fantasy, though. Starting from Tolkien, who brought us Hobbits and Elves. I think many fairy tales are, at some point or other, born from The Lord of the Rings. All books are birthed somewhere, the same goes for The Fallen Lightbringer''s return. Its influence isn''t hard to find. There are many novels simr (Second Life Ranker, Second Coming of Gluttony, Solo Leveling etc.). Though from the prologue, it is hard to see, they all have the same type of dungeon crawler setting, with a protagonist possessing a secret ability. I find stories like that interesting and fun to read. But I always felt they were missing something. A key part of a story untold. It was the characters themselves. A person is shaped by the early stages of their life. That doesn''t mean they cannot change, but the desire for change itself springs from the wrong decisions made at the beginning of life. Such is thew of time, and it cannot be changed. It is neither good nor bad. Entering the dungeon is a stage in a character''s life. But it isn''t the only one. For these novels, I wished to see more about characters other than the protagonist. A dungeon holds such a unique setting, that could bring out the rawness of a person, but has been turned into a gamelike setting where the only things that matter are the rising stats and exotic monsters. While that is cool to see and certainly makes for an entertaining read, it does not remain memorable. The examples I have given before are only good examples. They, to some extent, care about the characters they write and know what direction they are supposed to walk. They have their personalities, shaped by their experience and dreams, and when put inside the life-threatening dungeon are tested whether they can stay the same or are forced to change. A dungeon is an integral, but a small part of any character''s life, somewhat like a climax. For me, what is interesting is the things that happen before and right after. What the person had been before, and where they thought their life would be. It''s these thoughts that make us truly human, after all. I wrote the prologue with the intention of conveying the human side of the apocalypse toe. The reason why we did not start with the First Advent in chapter 1 is that the story before the mirage can be just as interesting, and rtable. But for some, it may be boring too. I can understand that. The next Volume will be The First Advent, dealing with the topics such novels are usually about. Fantastical creatures, new skills, leveling up, and more. Excitement-wise, it will be on another scale. That, I can promise. I do not believe in magic, but I''d love to imagine what life would be like with it. In this prologue, we have quite a lot of people thinking the same thing. III. The protagonist, Lee Dojin, is very different from the other main characters I wrote about before. He isn''t much of a thinker, quite honestly. Coming from my old novel, Rebirth of a Broken Demoness, where we had Agnes, who ns twelve steps ahead of time and full ofplex thoughts, writing someone who does not care about consequences is a refreshing change. His ability itself is a unique one. For me, as an author, I sometimes find it hard to scales his skills or think of any relevant ones, but you as a reader don''t have to worry about that. His Affinity of choice is an abstract one, and in this novel, will be integral to answering the philosophical question of, "What is life?" Lee Dojin himself probably has an answer already, based upon the way he interacts with the world. He isn''t aplicated character. He is hopeful for the future, is known by others to embody freedom, and has a love for his own species, humanity. There is still a lot to find out about him, and whether or not his way of living changes in the future, we have yet to find out. IV. But putting aside Lee Dojin, we have a lot of different side characters. In this Volume, we have ced emphasis on Ji-ah and Heeson (and Do Jiwoon to some extent). I have not forgotten about his childhood friend Jyejin. The next Volume will deal with her and a different subset of characters. I could have ced them in this volume already, but the plot demanded for me to not do so. I do have some regrets with me as an author of Fallen Lightbringer''s Return, mainly the pacing and the update stability, but all in all, this volume hase very close to my vision. I am grateful for that. At points, I have made some choices that brought forth questions to you readers. Why did Lee Dojin not ask help from others for the trailer? What was the point of the whole Sivi school arc? Who was the random pregnant girl? I hope, as you think about thepleted volume as a whole, youe to understand that some decisions, though not revealed yet, will certainly be resolved in the future. I hope, as you continue reading, and these kinds of questions pop up, you can trust my decision as an author and not be disappointed prematurely. Thank you once again for reading the first volume of Fallen Lightbringer''s Return. Chapter 76: Currently in Heaven I Chapter 76: Currently in Heaven I Therees a time where every human living on earth has asked this question: Does God exist? And every time, the human finds no concrete answer. In a ce, far far away from earth (yet so infinitely close, one may say), there exists a world of white and silver. Here, no shadows existed, as there was only love, affection and joy. The ground was made of clouds, and the sky was made out of clouds. Yet, it was not cold. Instead, everywhere, warmth exuded this world, though no sun was to be found. Strange. A young, lonesome boy, in his hand a flute, stood in front of a humongous gate. He had short blond hair and a calming smile. His eyes, though, were pitch-ck, filled to the brim, as if absorbing any light that existeda contrary appearance to this ce he stood in. He wore only a white robe, his bare feet grazing the clouds. How he felt, no one knew. Suddenly, another person, a man with red hair, appeared right behind him, as if out of thin air. "I''ve arrived," he said. "You''rete," the boy spoke, "Inciter." The Inciter grinned. "My apologies, I was held up. I found quite an interesting specimen, you see? It was a hard time deciding what rewards to offer him." He ced his hands together as if to apologize. "As repentance, I shall deduct 10 points off my score." "Don''t worry about it, I don''t understand that point thingie of yours in the first ce." The boy smiled. He ced the back of his flute on his cheek. "But for you to be curious about someone in this lowly universe.. . that is indeed interesting. Why don''t you introduce me?" "I''d rather not. You''d kill him. You stay in your own universe and mind your own business," he said, "You are just like me, after all." The Inciter paused as he looked at the boy. "The Undoer, the Sixth of the Twelve Heavenly Signs." The boy continued smiling. He clenched his fist, and the flute in his hand broke into a fine dust. "Don''t talk too much trash now, kid." He shook his palm. "Oops, you made me break my stuff again." "Well, let''s not mind the small details, alright?" The Inciter cackled. "As always, the midget has a short fuse." The Undoer felt a vein in his forehead twitch. Through his smile, fangs started showing. His pitch-ck eyes stared down on The Inciter. "And you are always a bag of dicks. Of all things, why do I have to work with you?" "Small details, small details. But well, our enemy is just that strong. If it weren''t for your power, we may have needed 4 more Heavenly Signs." He stretched his body. "So, are you ready?" "Yeah, yeah." The3 boy sighed and scratched his head. He faced the huge gates once more. "Now, shall we kill God?" a few hours before the First Advent. The Inciter and The Undoer appear before Edens Gates. Their goal. .. the destruction of Heaven. ... Imanadiel was a rather unusual name for an Angel. Still, she would not have it any other way. In fact, it was one of her proudest characteristics. Unlike humans, their Creator had not bestowed them with the idea of free will, thus anything that brings out their uniqueness was seen as a luxury for Angels. However, they did not envy the life of humans, nor did they bear any ill will towards them, that is because they know, the Lord''s wish is theirmand, and there existed no one who''d even think about defying it. Imanadiel too loved being an Angel, but she loved humanity too. And though she knew not of dreams, ambitions, and desires, while watching over the many people on earth she did wonder what it felt to live like thema life free of their own choices. So, was the current scene birthed from her desire? Did her thoughts of disobedience bring forth this destruction? "In my long life.. ." She coughed, her mouth full of blood, "Have I seen such tragedy.. ." An Angel was not capable of tears, for they felt only the purest and most joyous emotions, yet Imanadiel, for the first time in her life, cried. The silver city, her home, which she hade to love for all its facets, had been razed down, utterly destroyed. It used to be so huge, standing tall in the sky, obscured in a hazy cloud and reaching out what seemed like an eternity, with roadsforked, straight, and curvedleading to many worlds, all beautiful and stunning. She coughed, her mouth filled with ck phlegm. Smoke kept rising from the destroyed buildings, stinging her eyes. Her wings had broken off, ck blood dripping to the ground and decaying the nts. She looked up, and there stood a boy in a robe. The Angel Imanadiel lifted her hands and in it appeared a white sword, glowing away the darkness. She stood up, then fell down again. As she watched her leg, she realized it was broken. The boy appeared before her face. He had his hands behind his back and smiled peacefully. "Looks like there were some left, huh?" Imanadiels face scrunched together, painting her expression with rage. It was him. A single boy,ing out of nowhere, destroyed everything she stood for. How many of her kin had he killed? For all her brethren, she had to fight. The anger that boiled over, turned into strength in her hand and she let the de on the Undoer. However, no matter what she did, she could not reach him. The sword of light stopped in front of the boy, not moving an inch. He lifted his finger and touched the tip. "Well, it was a nice try," he said andughed." At once, the de started to disintegrate, deconstructed from atom to atom, and it reached the Angel too, as she disappeared without any trace. The Inciter appeared right next to him. "That is thest of them." He paused. "With this, heaven has fallen." "Your tracking ability is quite useful, I have to say." The boy brushed some dust off his shoulder. He looked into the distance. The buildings had rotten away, the ground charred ck, the sky filled with a ck miasma, and the waters into poison. The city, in his hands, had turned into a wastnd. "However, I have to say, this is quite dull." The Inciterughed. He was about toment something when he suddenly perked up and turned serious. "He isi" before he could say anything, he got flung away into the sky by an invisible force. The boy cackled, his face twisting with joy. He stepped back as winds blew through his robe. "You''ve arrived." The Undoer squinted his eyes. From far away, he saw a Person, no, a Girl, looking as young as him, with long ck hair that cascaded down her feet. Her whole body was covered in bright light, illuminating heaven and washing all the darkness and despair away. Her eyes, in contrast to The Undoer, werepletely white, appearing as if She was blind. However, it was the oppositeShe could see too much. The Girl was omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, standing above all cosmic powers and abstract entities. She contained power immeasurable to even the greatest of gods, for She was the source of life and creation. With a mere thought, the universe in Her hands could dissipate and be recreated, all in Her will. She ruled over eternity and infinity, existing before time itself did. She held no title, for there existed no being worthy enough to name Her. ''She'' was God. "Stand." Her voice reverberated throughout the silver city, and at once, the angels that had once fallen, rose again, ready for a battle with new life breathed into them. Imanadiel opened her eyes once more. She sprung up, gasping for breath. Her mouth ckened as she felt around her whole body. "I, I am alive?" She gasped. "But how?" She looked around and saw her brethren, who she was sure did before her, kowtowing on the ground, praying. But it wasn''t their revival that made these winged beings kneel in repentance. It also wasn''t the gradual restoration of heaven, as the buildings reconstructed themselves and the roads realigned. The only reason an Angel would ce their head down was to give worship. Miracles were an everyday urrence for Imanadiel, but a power of this scale, there was only one being capable of such feat. "Oh Lord, thou hast returned." She sped her hands together and bowed down. At once, trumpets echoed throughout the world, with the brightest angels forming a choir. Innumerable souls (in the form of light) sprouted from the grounds, swaying from left to right. The darkness and decay called forth by the Undoer quickly dissipated, and from there life was birthed once more, the things destroyed rebuild themselves, and angels stood up as if time itself had been rewound. The Seraphimtwelve-winged angels d in white meflew up to God, in their hand an ancient throne. Tens of thousands of these celestial beings circled around the Seat of the Lord for Her to take a seat. They screamed, "Holy, holy, oh, holy," their passion manifesting into a me as bright as the sun. The Cherubim, who would normally never leave their designated spots, appeared one by one, paying their respects to the Creator. The Ophanimthe angels of war and peace whose size were the biggestmmed their respective weapons on the ground, acting as a drum, and celebrating. Seven Archangels rose from the ashes, and appeared beside God. They had their heads down, not even daring to look at their Lord. Michael, the oldest of them all, the Warrior Angel, voiced everybody''s thoughts. "Your Supreme Lordness, my humble being wees you home." The Lord did not reply. His eyes remained on The Undoer, though they seemed to stare even past him. "It has been a while, Michael." Imanadiel shuddered. Her head remained locked on the ground, but she could not help grin. How many eons had it been since their kind had gathered in such great mass? Though they had been through a lot of hardships and inner disputes before, it was all gone now. No longer did they hold any internal strives, as every angel banded as one. For God had returned. Chapter 77: Currently in Heaven II Chapter 77: Currently in Heaven II God moved Her head. She looked to Her left, then to Her right. How long has it been since She appeared in front of her children? Now she faced the sky. Even though there was nothing above heaven, and she could see every part of the universe without moving her neck, she still looked up. Her thoughts started wandering back to the past, to a time where the deities and humanity were still living in harmony. ... "Your Supreme Lordship! You are bleeding out the nose again!" The angel Michael walked forward with a towel in his hands. The Girl felt her face. Sure enough, blood coated her hands. "I see." "Humanity has gotten too big. The other gods can''t handle them anymore," another angel spoke. Unlike others, his wings were ck. Still, he shone the brightest, for he was the original light-bringer, Lucifer; The child that would in the future be known as the Rebel. "If they continue growing, in a few millennia, we cannot protect them from outside threats anymore. It would be best if we curb them as the Outer Gods did with their species in others." "Do not speak of things which you may regret one day, Morningstar," God chastised him. "As long as I exist, humanity shall prosper." She watched from above heaven, humanity''s discovery of fire. "I will watch over them and guide them, as such is the role I gave myself, until the day I disappear." The ck-winged angelid down the cloud and rested. "Well, at one point, even these humans know, in a herd of sheep you sometimes have to introduce a wolf." "Brother, heed your tongue!" Michael shouted angrily. "Do not refer to his Lordship so casually." "It would do you well to take that stick out of your ass," Lucifer responded. "You," the angel sprang up. "How dare you!" "Hoh. You two have a lot of guts, arguing in front of me." The Girl grabbed the two angels by their head. Michael and Lucifer both broke into a cold sweat, as they were scared mute. "My word isw. My will is power. In all of heaven, I alone am the honored one. There exists no impossibility in front of me. Never forget that, children. There is no God like me." "I shall bear that in mind!" Michael knelt down. He knew, his Lord was all-loving, but also merciless. He did not want to test God''s patience (not that he could, in the first ce). Lucifer watched the Lord. He then sighed. "Well, I cannot imagine You to ever vanish." The Girl only smiled. The humans underneath tilted the farnds. As they faced the clouds, they saw their Creator, with two celestial beings surrounding Him. They bowed down in worship. Out of the blue, copious amounts of blood spurted out the Girls'' mouth and eyes, enough to paint the floor red. She swayed, even with the help of her twopanions, and Her all-seeing sight turned hazy, and She slumped down. That was the first time God had fallen asleep, reverting back into a formless divinity, nowhere to be found; Her slumber led to an apocalypse that brought humanity close to its extinctionthe Ice Age. The next time She would wake up, would be 3500 years from that day. By then, Lucifer had rebelled. He could not ept God''s teachings about humanity and med them for God''s dormancy. As such, he turned his back to heaven, giving up his wings, and led a rebellion against humanity and its supposed saviors, the angels. For God, Her headaches grew only bigger and her nosebleeds longer, as humanity continued prospering and popting thends. Still, She banished Lucifer from thend of life to a ce of emptiness (which wouldter be known as Hell), and proceeded to separate Heaven and Earth. From then on, her slumbers continued to get longer, as more sentient life was birthed on earth and her burdens on defending humanity from outside threats kept weighing heavily upon her.. . until at one point, she decided: "I will no longer interfere with humanity''s development." The person she confided this news with was not with the church, her angels, or even the other gods of Earth. She did not want anyone involved to know, thus she left behind the information to the most neutral party of all.. . The Concubine of All Things Parallel, Xh''Endrada. ... "What a pain," the Undoer said. "Now I have to kill them one more time." The Girl observed the boy in front of Her. In the end, she decided, "Step back, you all." The Angels were surprised, but they instinctively knew never to disobey or question the Lord, and thus, without much fuss, they hid as far as possible. The Undoerughed. "You are the same as ever. A being full of mistakes. Why do you choose to protect these weaklings? No, in the first ce, what was the point of their existence? The same for humans too." He swiped his short hair back. "With your strength, you were fated to stay alone, so why would you create so many pitiful beings to follow you?" "A being like you would not understand," God spoke. Her voice echoed for everything residing within heaven to hear. "I am just. I am everything. Fate stands below me, and so do you. You only know the path of destruction, thus you could not fathom anything beyond that." "It seems, even this time, I could not get through to you." The Undoer sighed. "Rejoice," he said, "For this will be the 897th time we fight, and I''ve won every time. Though I suppose you have no knowledge of that." "There will be no fight." She swiped her hand. "Vanish from my sight." And at once, the Undoer was flung out of heaven, into a world of emptinessa space, not even the Devil managed to escape from. The angels from afar cheered loudly. The Lord was almighty. With just a single move, She brought peace to Heaven. Imanadiel too, threw her hands into the air, jubnt of their sessful defense, as the evil has been destroyed once more. However, contrary to their expectations, a rift appeared in the sky, with two hands pulling on the ends, forcibly opening an entrance into heaven. The Undoers head popped out, and though he smiled, he had veins popping on his forehead. "Don''t write me off that easily, alright? You''ll hurt my feelings." ".. .Impossible," Michael muttered. "Not even Lucifer himself could leave the emptiness. How did this person break through the emptiness?" The Undoer gave him the middle finger while he stuck out his tongue. "That''s because your spatial walls are shit! The only reason I entered through the gate was to give you all a chance." "You monster," the other Archangel, Gabriel, muttered. "Enough of the peanut gallery. From here on, I will not be merciful." The Undoer moved guided his fingers to the angels. Immediately, an unquenchable amount of bloodthirst shot out from him, blowing a great hurricane through heaven. "Erase!" For the first time, God showed a reaction, as Her eyes opened slightly. At a speed faster than light, She moved in between the Undoer and the angels, taking the attack head-on with Her body. A bright light enveloped them, so blinding, even a celestial being such as an angel had to squint. As their sight returned and they opened their eyes once more, they could not believe what they saw. The Undoer let his hand fall. "This is Your weakness, do you see?" God, stood on the ground, half her torso missing, and only on one leg. The lower part of her face waspletely gone. ... "I will no longer interfere with humanity''s development," God told the Concubine. Xh''Endrada did not show any expression. She was cold as ever. Still, she asked, "Have you given up on your creations?" "On the contrary." The Girl chuckled. "Even when I was sleeping, I could see and know everything, for I am unrivaled." She paused. "And I''ve realized. Humanity does not need me." The Outer God did not reply. She respected God''s decision, as she knew Her strength. Everything existing and non-existing bends by her will. If she said so, then it must be true. "Still, I wish to know. The people that pray to you, they ask for help as they suffer. They will fight in your name. gues, wars, famines, everything preventable, will you leave them to sort it out themselves?" "It seems I am not the only one watching over them." "It is my job to do so." The Outer God spoke. "Interesting little things, right? They are my greatest creation." God looked down. "For a long time, I believed I should guide them, teach and punish them. That I should show them what was right; but I saw I was wrong." She observed the little humans from space. "As I am God and will stay God, humanity too will one day find its own values. I cannot be copied, as such the values I hold could never fit with a mortal. Just like a parent eventually leaves their child to discover the world alone. For that is why they possess free will." "Do you believe it to get better?" "It will." The Girl nodded, and with that decision, Earth stopped hiding from The Mirage, creating the only race that would one day broadcast its own voice through the lone universe. "But unlike the other Gods, I will not curb their prosperity either. Let The Shadowse. We, humanity, shall not cower." "I do not understand these notions," Xh''Endrada spoke full of honesty. Godughed heartily. "Cold as ever, I see." The Girl crossed her arms, puffing her chest out in pride. "Do not worry. One day, you will understand these thoughts." .. .and indeed, eonster, God and Concubine meet again, though, at that time, thetter would bring the person she''d have deemed her son. ... The Undoerughed. "Time and time again. If only you would no cling on these little creations of yours, you could have defeated the Mirage!" He cracked his neck and fingers. "I''ve hit you with my strongest skillThe ability to destroy anything, including immortals and abstract entities, eliminating any trace of their existence without any trace of the entity, whether material or immaterial. Not even a deity can survive this." Imanadiel fell once more to her knees, but this time full of despair. "This is insanity." The Girl rubbed her chin. "Is that so." Suddenly, She started reforming Herself. "What an interesting ability." her missing limbs reappeared with no trace of damage. The Undoers'' voice was cut short. "What the hell?" "Do not curse in my presence." She ced Her index finger over Her lips. "Your surprise is expected. You just have to understand one single thing. I am not a deity." The light illuminated her back. "I am God." "What the fuck? This didn''t happen the other times we fought." He growled, his beastly fangs showing. He chewed on his thumbnail while thinking. "Don''t give me that shit, what did You do?" "I suppose the other Me''s did not know of the existence of multiverses?" The boys'' mouth opened wide enough to put an egg into it. "How do You know about that?" "I know a lot more than you think. Undoer, Sixth of the Heavenly Signs." She smiled, her white teeth showing. It looked like She had fun? The Girl lifted her hand. "Now, how did it go? Ah yes, Erase." The Undoer felt sweat run down his back, and he quickly backed off. "You''ve got to be shitti" However, unlike God, he did not possess a speed beyond everything. A blinding light enveloped heaven once more and erased the boy from this world. The Girl lightly shook her hand. "Cool stuff." Chapter 78: Currently In Heaven III Chapter 78: Currently In Heaven III The Inciter, who had just returned from afar, saw the Undoer being disassembled and was at a loss for words. "Damn, they weren''t joking. She really was strong beyond words." he quickly hid behind the bushes. Suddenly, God, even though far away, looked the Inciter straight into the eye. The man felt goosebumps all over his body, as his face became drenched in a cold sweat. He gulped, as he thought about the tales surrounding the Girl. Omniscient, omnipotent, and ommipresentno matter where you were and how well you hid, you cannot hide from God. "What a terrifying being." "Don''t you fuck with me!" The Girl turned her head, facing the direction of that scream, and there, simrly to Her, the Undoer reassembled again. From atom to atom, and limb to limb, he recreated himself once more. He returned, his robe disheveled and out of breath. "Hoh." The Girl voiced her amazement. "This is truly a surprise." The Undoer grit his teeth. "I was almost a goner there." He rubbed temples, feeling an iing headache. "Who could have guessed that you could steal my attack with only one nce? It would seem like you really aren''t like the copies I fought in the beta and gamma universes." He paused and grinned, showing off his fangs. "It is almost like the first time we fought You." God observed the Undoer. "Interesting." "Do You not want me to exin how I survived the attack?" "I already know," the Girl spoke calmly. "This is bullshit. How overpowered can You be?" He thought back about the time he fought God in the alpha universethe universe Lee Dojin came from. At that time, it took 9 of The Heavenly Signs to y God, and if it weren''t for the Ninth Sign, The Remainder, they would have died several times over. "But I will still tell You." Heughed. "After we defeated You, we separated Your powers into twelve parts and shared them equally. For me, I have taken Gods Affinity of Creation." Normally, only one Sign would have kept the ability of the in deity, but the power of God was just too immeasurable for one single being to handle. She represented infinity, thus it was virtually impossible to separate Her powers (as half of the infinity was still infinity).. . were it not for the Mirage. "You cannot defeat me, for I am You." ".. .This is sacrilege," Michael spoke, as his eyes widened. Every word the Undoer spoke grated his ears. If he could, he''d love to run up there and rip his throat apart. Even though angels were the gentlest of races, hearing everything the Undoer said, their blood boiled. They ced their hands together and prayed in an effort to calm down, but the urge to kill could not subside. God, on the other hand, remained serene. "Are you done talking?" The Undoer nodded. "Sure." "Then, let us finish this, shall we? My children arw getting restless." As God finished the sentence, She waved her hands, and all out of a sudden, the light and darkness seemed to disappear. "No more bystanders, it is only us now." The Undoer looked around. He realized, there was nothing at all. No light, no darkness, no air, no matter, no space, no fate, no karma. Nothing at all. Even for him, the most destructive of all Heavenly Signs, could not cause such thorough cleansing for a universe. Well, if he could, then The Mirage did not have to bother with giving weak people superpowers. ".. .This is madness," he muttered in a tone ofplete disbelief. The Inciter appeared before him. This time, he was fully prepared. There was no yful side of him to see. He eyed the Girl. "So this is the power of God." He clicked his tongue. "If it were Her, I wonder, could she have conquered the universe much faster than us?" "It does not matter," the Undoer answered while shaking his head. "Instead of aiming for a higher ce, this Girl has decided to close herself off and y with puppets to hide her loneliness. No matter how strong She was physically, She is weak at heart." The Inciter did not reply anymore. Instead, he concentrated on the Creature before him. "I just wish we would have called some more people." God swiped her long hair back. She smiled, a heavenly beauty, iparable to any human or angel. She gestured with her hand for them to approach. "What''s the hold-up, let''s dance, shall we." She rested her hands on her small waist. "I have gotten rid of all creations in this universe and hidden them away. This is now a prison of eternity and infinity, a world where the only being that can move freely is I. If you wish to escape." She cracked her neck. "Defeat me." Immediately, the Undoer and Inciter both broke out into cold sweat, goosebumps covering their whole body. Thetter questioned, "Bloodthirst? Impossible, there is no being that could ever intimidate us." "Don''t be so sure about that now." The Undoer stepped back. "This isn''t bloodthirsty. It is only Her mere presence that brings shivers down our spine." The Inciter''s eyes widened. Heughed dryly. In all his long years, how long has it been since he felt fear? And now, only by a mere presence? It was akin to a mouse meeting a cat, or a gazelle seeing a lionsuch reaction could only ur if there was a stark difference in species. "How fun. How fun." Heughed. "Let us not waste time, or we may really die. We should activate it." He closed his eyes and spoke. "Law of Karma, entangle everything." "Agreed." The Undoer nodded. He too closed his eyes and uttered, "Law of Destruction, swallow everything." For the first time, God stepped back. What did she see? Theplete darkness of a demon? A being higher than her? No. She stepped back, because for the first timesince the beginning of everythingshe saw nothing. ... The second time Xh''Endrada and God met, the Mirage had already invaded Lee Dojin''s original universe. God, unlike now, lookedpletely haggard, for she was only a strand of hair. The reason was simple: The Twelve Heavenly Signs had invaded Her pce and destroyed everything. In the end, She had been dethroned, and if not for her neverendingness, killed. Now, she was only a powerless wisp, with The Shadows having swallowed Her divinity. Still, there was not anything that could rid Her of a smile. "What brings you here," God asked Xh''Endrada. The Concubine looked around. It was the second time now that the 2 strongest beings within all the universes and beyond (except for the elusive Mirage) met, but again, there was nothing extravagant about it at all. Once more, they drifted in outer space, the nearest star hundreds of lightyears away. "I wanted to ask if you regret your decisions." Godughed. "I never do." "I thought so." She paused. "No, I apologize. The real reason I came here is that I wished to ask you for advice." She looked away. "You may not know, but I have a child now." God''s eyes widened greatly. "Holy Hell." Her abilities had been stolen, thus she did not possess her omnipresence anymore, but even if she did see it, she would not have believed it. "No way. You? The coldest and most lonely gods of them all has an offspring? What a time to be alive." Sheughed loudly, her voice echoing throughout the universe. "But I do not see why you muste to me. We do not know each other this well. No offense." Xh''Endrada did not exin. Instead, she swiped her hands, and innumerable universes appeared before them as if videos ying simultaneously. She zoomed in into one. There Lee Dojin was projected, while he fought off the Shadows. "It is because he is human." ".. .Are you pulling my leg?" The Concubine shook her head. "Teach me the ways of a human. I have no one else to ask." "Interesting. Interesting! How fun! So I was right! You too have found the beauty in humanity. But even so, you are a lot more radical than me," God said in a bright voice. "This is indeed delightful." "Do not be mistaken. The only one to interest me is Lee Dojin. For humanity itself, I bear no affection, I simply watch over their choices." Xh''Endrada cut her off with a cold voice. "Woah, a tsundere, how unexpected!" God spoke. "But you are making me curious. Bring him here next time, I shall take care of him. A family needs two caretakers, so let me be his other parent. I doubt there would be any other deity crazy enough to associate with you in the first ce." ".. .I doubt he''d ever ept you." She tossed her head. "He does not know that you are burdened with carrying humanity to the point of breaking. In his eyes, you have abandoned the species. He probably holds nothing but resentment." "Do not be selfish. For your first Commandment, I teach you, a human cannot live well without God or Guardian. It just so happens that I am both!" And just like that, Lee Dojin woulde to meet God, his second mother, though he really did never ept her. Still, they''d meet time to time, simply talking, forgetting all responsibility they bore for a few moments. ... God looked up high again. Though She really did not need to do so. As the being standing tallest, she really should not. It was only a habit she picked up from Lee Dojin, the child who''d always look up to the sky. "I never expected.. . the next time we met, Xh''Endrada, you would have already perished. It is like our situation had been reversed. Still, you took your time to tell me everything of the Mirage and awakened the memories of the Me in the alpha universe. Your job isplete." She closed her eyes. "So let me join you now." The Undoer appeared before her again. He had lost his left arm, and his eyes were bleeding profusely. The boy would never be able to see again. Still, looking at God, anyone would understand, he had won. "Anyst words before we seal you?" The fightsted 350 years. But it too shall pass faster than a second, as there existed no time here. "Too bad, if only you did not have to worry about protecting the universe, maybe you would havee out as the victor." God was now no more than a floating eye, herplete body gone. Most of her power had been sapped by maintaining humanity, thus she could not fight to her fullest. "I have no regrets." Her thoughts swirled, and Lee Dojin came to her mind. "I shall leave the rest to you." The Inciter appeared. "There will be no one to save you." He swung down. God breathed in. Her eye indicated a smile. "But for now, I shall take you guys with me." She stared straight at them. "Day of Judgement, Last Trumpet: Deus Ex Machina." What exactly happened afterward, no one knew the details. There were only three things for sure. 1. That day, Every angel cried out in agony, their voice resounding throughout Earth. After thirty minutes, they turned silent. And a voice that humanity hadn''t even realized was with them their whole lives, had disappeared. 2. God had fallen. 3. The Mirages'' arrival could no longer be stopped. ... In the far distance, Lee Dojin sped his hands together. He offered a silent prayer. One, for Xh''Endrada who had passed, and another for God. His heart remained incredibly heavy, for both his parents had disappeared, leaving him alone forever. Still, his determination held just as strong. Chapter 79: Once Again Chapter 79: Once Again Monday morning. How often, since the inception of time, had the week restarted once more? With the birth of light, per the hands of God, came the idea of Monday too.. . and it would not disappear, even if the Elohim did. Once more, the week, together with the world, had reset. But humanity''s thoughts remained in the previous day. News, all around the world, would discuss the weird phenomenon that happened in Seoul. The media was quick to find a name for itThe Birth of Light. And just as quick as they were to name it, so was their need to exin it, though this task was not as easy. Many thoughts swirled around, from reputable news sources iming it to be a lightre from the sun to yellow papers and tabloids calling it a government experiment gone wrong or aliens from outer space probing Korea as a test station. Nonsense or not, the citizens of each country had their own thoughts, irrespective of all the junk floating around. The only ones to know the truth were the yers of the Mirage. Shadows and Light, such a thing could only be created by that System of theirs. Each one of them heldplicated thoughts excitement, curiosity, nervousness, and terrorall different from each other. They only understood, the Mirage was entering a new phase, and the world they knew, was close to reaching its end. As for God, only the Angels in heaven (plus the one below Earth) knew about this universe''s greatest tragedy. Their voices cried out heavily, though they dissipated just as fast, and an auditory hallucination was a lot easier to write off,pared to one you could see. Still, of course, a few Soothsayers roamed the streets and within the dark depths of the inte, spouting about the End of the World, and how the Lord hade to ce judgment upon the humans; All crazy people.. . or so one would imagine. As always the world went on, this time, just a little bit more curious than before. As long as there was no imminent danger (or even if there was), society would never stop moving. And thus, on this Monday, people stillpleted the side quests of their daily lives. Lee Dojin walked the streets, looking just as ordinary as everyone else. Maybe his eyes were a bit more lifeless, and the circles around them a little darker, but was that such a word sight to see in a bustling metropolis like Seoul? Ji-ah and Hassan were not with him. Currently, he was alone. All alone. He opened his phone and looked at the time. His eyes stung, as the artificial light blinded him. Yet, he had already ced the brightness on the lowest setting. "A few more hours? I''d say so. Can''t really remember." He faced the sky. Nothing but clouds to be seen. The convenience store next to him buzzed. The sound of an air conditioner. It wasn''t even that cold yet. There, a balding businessman was slurping his ramyun, while reading through the daily newspaper [Blinding light, and the cry of Mother Earth! Has humanity finally brought the wrath of its habitation back home?]. There was a small police station on his left, with a few foreignersthey spoke Chinesetrying tomunicate with the poor officer who did not understand anything. Incidentally, Lee Dojin knew how to speak Chinese too, all thanks to hisnguage skill of the old world, but that hardly is of importance currently. Walking further, the street was filled with street-food vendors in the middle, selling corndogs, teokbokki, takoyaki, beautiful sandwiches, and scallion pancakes. On the side, there were many skincare stores within the buildings, with employees yelling to attract customers. Even today, during such an hour, there were so many people roaming the streets, for this was Myeongdong, the busiest ce of all Seoul. Lee Dojin went to the busiest cafe and took a seat. Here, he could observe everything going on within this district. It wasn''t because he had a hobby of people-watching. No, because he remembered clearly, the ce for the Mirage to arrive would have to be the busiest. He ordered a coffee, ck, going against all Korean values, then closed his eyes. ... [God has died. Now, humanity''s survival will depend on you yers alone. Good luck, and have a nice gameor die trying.] "What the hell?" Lee Dojin rubbed his eyes. "Hologram? Is technology that good already?" At that time, he had just been thrown out of his school, with no path to walk. Next to him stood Do Jiwoon, who hade talk to him, yet looked equally confused. At that time, the two of them understood nothing, yet. At that time, the two of them were neither the Hero of Light and the Original Sin, only two high-schoolers, with no purpose in life, hoping for the world to stop moving.. . for a Monday to nevere. The two of them faced each other. Then, a scream caused them to look the other way. There, a man stood up from his seat, running away, while crying frantically. Pushing through the masses, he bumped into Lee Dojin. "Watch it, bastard," Do Jiwoon shouted his way. Lee Dojin was about to stop his friend from making a scene when he felt something warm dripping down his arm. A strong smell of iron suddenly permeated the air. He looked to his shoulder and saw blood dripping down, dyeing his shirt red. Immediately, his face had turned cold. Do Jiwoon quickly stopped talking, as he turned serious. "You''re bleeding," he yelled, as he promptly rolled Lee Dojin''s sleeve up with a baffled expression. "It''s not mine," the boy said, and indeed he carried no wound. The two of them seemed to realize something together, as their sight touched, and they faced the direction that frantic man fled, and there, they saw himying on the ground. Lee Dojin, even before the Mirages'' arrival had seen such a scene asionally. The man had died. ... "Lee Dojin." A voice calling for his name broke him out of his stupor. He immediately paid his attention elsewhere, as he looked to his right, and his eyes widened with genuine surprise. "Jyejin?" His supposed childhood friend, stood there, her hair in a ponytail, with a stern, yet confused face. "Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?" Lee Dojin rubbed his eyes. He rubbed them once more, just for good measure. The girl did not disappear. "What the hell are you doing here?" "I wanted to ask you the same thing." The girl huffed. "I was walking down the streets when I suddenly saw you and decided to follow you. I didn''t expect you to be in this cafe though. I never knew you''d be the trendy type. Also, should you not be in school?" "You did not know? School is closed. It''s because of that weird light that surrounded the city. You know, educational ces are always quick to stop their doors." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. Truthfully speaking, he only knew because of Ji-ah. "Why are you walking around Myeongdong anyway? Boredom again?" "Maybe I just wanted to try being a tourist," sheughed dryly, then took a seat. "Hope you don''t mind." Lee Dojin looked at her, this time more closely. He had realized that dark circles were around that girl''s eyes. Her lively spirit was nowhere to be found this time. If he had topare her, she looked, just like. .. him. "Are you not feeling well?" Kim Jyejin sized him up too. "I could ask you the same thing." "Listen, I am a little busy, so maybe you''d like to return another time and we can chat? It''s about to get dangerous." "Actually, I didn''te here by coincidence, I wanted to ask yo" Her voice was cut short by another voice, much louder and annoying. "Hey, you students there, should you not be at school currently?" And like that Dong Jowoon seemingly appeared from thin air. Lee Dojin twisted his head with furrowed brows. "And who are you?" "Jowoon! Dong Jowoon Sungsengnim for you!" His shout seemed to shake the cafe, as he realized Lee Dojin was still confused. "We went together with Ji-ah to that excursion. Come on, it''s me, the PE teacher. You are hurting my feelings." Oh, that pervert, Lee Dojin thought silently. "Why are you here?" "I was tailing two skipping students, of course. Where do you think the two of you are going? Do you want to be expelled?" Lee Dojin rubbed his temples and sighed. "You know, school is closed for today." "Huh? Really?" "Is there anyone else who wishes to appear?" He asked jokingly, but what came next, he did not find remotely funny. "Who the fuck are you?" "Park Wonho," Kim Jyejin shouted. "You!" A young student with a big physique walked through the crowd and appeared before him. "Uh, hi?" He lifted both his hands. "Ie in peace, I swear." Kim Jyejin was about to say something, but then, out of nowhere, her mood seemed to dete. This time, she simply did not feel like saying anything, as her mind weighed heavily on her. And Lee Dojin, she had to admit, did not seem like the naive boy in need of protection anymore. Also looking at Park Wonho, he appeared so unusually timid, she felt no threat at all. The big guy spoke. "I did not wish to hide, I swear. I only wished to talk in private, but before I knew it, so many people had assembled and it was awkward to say anything." He then faced the teacher and bowed. "I apologize for skipping today''s lesson. "Mention school one more time, and I will bash your skull in," Lee Dojin said irritated. "Anyways, you, the guy in a tracksuit are Dong Jowoon, the noisy, hypocritical teacher. And you, the one built like a linebacker, are Park Wonho, the guy I almost killed at the beginning of the year. Is that correct?" "At this point, I am only happy you remember me," Kin Juejin said in jest. "Don''t be offended, I ask since from now on, we have to depend on each other." His eyes turned sharp. "As it is now far toote to run." A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the cafe, with one more scream following and then another, until it was too loud and frequent to ignore. Everyone faced the noise. Suddenly, a baffling message appeared for everyone to see: [God has died. Now, humanity''s survival will depend on you yers alone. Good luck, and have a nice gameor die trying.] Once more, Earth would turn into a ce worse than Hell itself. Chapter 80: Guide Chapter 80: Guide Born 1953, Gan Wehims''s mother always told him, the reason they won the Korean War was because of his existence, so there was no wonder she had been so proud of him. Whenever he heard that, he could only forcefully smile, for he loathed that joke. Even when his mother died only 26 yearster, she sometimes would mutter these words through her delirious Alzheimer. 1953.. . 1953. It was a cursed number for him. Because for his mother, the only achievement worth mentioning was his birth. Even now, whenever he thought about it, his head would ache. As such, he became known as the grumpy geezer children nowadays talk about. "Youngster," he shouted in a loud voice, his spit flying out his mouth. He grabbed the young woman in front of her by the shoulder and squeezed tightly. "What are you standing here so dazed for? You are in the way of my coffee!" Thedy turned around. She had fiery-red hair, that almost appeared unnatural, with gold-hazel eyes. Her figure was long and thin, and there was an indescribable ''alienness'' surrounding her. She looked at him with furrowed brows but did not say anything. "What''s with the attitude?" He clicked his tongue. "That''s with you kids these days. This isn''t just a cafe for you, alright? Guessing by your dyed hair, you must not be the one to obey adults, huh?" "Geez, get a grip old guy," a young man, mid-twenties, said in a cating voice. He rubbed his head as if it could not be helped. "You are making a scene." His friend, around the same age, snickered in the back, a phone in his hand and recording everything that happened. "Don''t talk down to me, asshole!" His voice attracted more bystanders, who quickly distanced themselves from that person. At the same time, their eyes were glued to that old geezer though. Their curiosty could not help it. A waitress was quick to intervene. With a strained voice, she asked them, "Please, dear guest, everyong will get their coffee soon, if you form an orderly queue. I apologize for the wait, but anger will not solve anything." The young man spoke again. "Clearly, that woman is a foreigner. We aren''t in the outskirts of Jeju Ind, like you are used to." He shook his head andughed. As he appraoched the red-haired woman, he spoke in english, "Sorry about that. I swear, not everyone in Seoul is like this. May I ask where you are from?" The woman, not once, looked at any of the people. She simply had a disgruntled expression, as if being woken up from a good dream. She clicked her tongue. "Fools," she said in a low voice. "Huh?" Before anyone could react, a red line formed on the young mans neck, and his head fell to the ground, creating a dull ''thud'' sound. Fresh blood, the color of crimson, spurted out his neck, on his recording friend, the old man Gan Wehim, and the poor waitress. "Babbling monkeys, everyone of you," the woman said full of distain. She spat on the mans face, who had still been amicably smiling, unknown it would be hisst expression. "You lot make me feel like puking." A chilling scream echoed through the cafe. It was unsure who started it, but right after, several more screams followed. The woman tied her fiery-red hair, and snapped her finger. The waitress looked away, but as she turned, her head too, lopped clean off. "Everyst one of you should simply die." The person holding the phone ended up decapitated too, his blood, dyeing the grounds red. His phone never stopped recording. "It will simply make my job easier." Soon, everyone started to run away, some not even knowing or seeing what happened. But seeing the despairing faces made them escape without any questions. The old man, Gan Wehim, stood on the spot, his clothespletely red. His eyes remained in shock, as if unsure on what they saw. The woman approached him. She had a cold face. "Remember this in the afterlife." She lifted her hand in front of Gan Wehim''s face, and closed it. "Do not ever touch me." The old man crunched together, his bones creaking and his flesh churning, all copsing into itself, until he turned into a ball with no resemnce to a human. In the near future, the tragedy in the cafe would be known as one of the first attacks by the shadows. And Gae Wehin, his life had ended, as it started. Only a number to remember him by, for it was the year 2025, and he was the third to die. At the meanwhile, the massacre continued, as three more people died, their heads seperated from their body, creating a human fountain of blood. "Oh shit I forgot." The woman suddenly hit her head. "I should have exined the rules first, then killed some as a warning. I''m such an idiot. Eh, fuck it, I will just start it now." A message appeared, just for her to see. She clicked a few things and at once, for everyone in this cafe, a message appeared. [God has died. Now, humanity''s survival will depend on you yers alone. Good luck, and have a nice gameor die trying.] "That should do it," she said with a satisfied face. .. . With the appearance of dungeons, and the rise of superpowers, came to existence beings that one would refer to as guides. To humans, they were akin to deities, for they seemingly held immesuarable powers, control the quest that pop up and issue out punishement and reward as they fit. Those trapped in a dungeon could only beg for a guides mercy, never to be defied. The red-haired womanshe was the Guide of Myeongdong, her name Latania. ... Kim Jyejin stood up. "What''s with all the ruckus?" However, Lee Dojin immediately pulled her down, looking at her and shaking his head. "Where the hell is the door!" A man shouted, pushing his way through the people. "You are hurting me!" "Someone, call the police, the police!" Jyejin looked around. She saw all the people pushing and shoving, and grew alert. The cafe, though small, was built on mulitple stories, thus, not everyone knew what the ruckus that came from above was about. They continued sipping and eating, some even amused by the scene. "Sit still students," The PE teacher said. "There seems to be something going on." "What the hell, how scary.. ." Park Wonho muttered. "It''s not terrorism or something, right?" "Don''t say something like that," Jeyjin reprimanded him. "Putting that aside," Lee Dojin began speaking, and everybody, for some reason knew they had to listen. "Are you guys just going to ignore the message that appeared before you?" All three of them paused for a second. Kim Jyejin was the first to react. "Message? You mean.. . whatever that is?" She looked a little shocked, as if she had just realized what was going on. A voice suddenly appeared, for everyone to hear. "Ahem. Can you all hear me," it was a woman, "Everybody, pleasee the the top floor. To the top floor." There was a short silence. "I do not want to waste my time, so whoever hasn''t arrived in 30 minutes, you all shall die." ".. ." Nobody knew how to react. One of the customers muttered silently. "A prank?" He shook his head, not minding the speaker. It was probably some baffoon trying to be funny anyway. "Maybe this is terrorism after all," Park Wonho said. He appearead a bit scared. "Things are getting weird." "I told you to stop it!" Lee Dojin did not answer. He remembered, when the apocalypse had started, what was his reaction? Disbelief? Anguish? Mockery? Excitement? He did not quite remember, Maybe he felt nothing at all. However, now, he knew full well what to do. "Everybody, let''s go." Dong Jowoon grabbed Lee Dojin and reprimanded him. "What are you stupid? Even let''s say that stupid audio is true, why would you simply go up, instead of leaving?" Promptly, another message appeared in front of everybody. [Wee, Warrior of Earth. Your has been chosen by the Shadows. The world you have known to be true will be no more. It is inevitable, and no power can halt its process. Change is always meant to be. Only know, it will be of a much grander scale. Yet, we grant you a chance to thrive, and to change with it. Complete the quests given by the Mirage, and you shall receive a great reward and save your, fail, and you rest with the fallen warriors in a broken Earth. Change is always meant to be. This time, no one will save you. But that does not have to be a bad thing. Prove your worth, or be crushed by it.] This time, no one could ignore the glowing message. "What the hell is going on," Park Wonho shouted, incredibly confused. Kim Jyejin gulped. She did not understand the meaning, but she felt goosebumps well up fron inside her. "D-Don''t worry, there has to be a reasonable exnation for all of this," The PE Teacher, Dong Jowoon started babbling. "Think about it, Holograms, except for maybe the militia, could not exist for real. It has to be somethinge else. M.. . Maybe it" "Hush," Lee Dojin said, cing his finger on the lips. He read through the message. He recognized it immediately, for every person that entered a dungeon for the first time would see it. It''s like an introduction. "If so, the next one should follow right after." And just like he predicted, another system message popped up. [Congrattions, Warrior. You have entered the Dungeon, ''World of Dolls''. The Guide for your Quest will be The Possessed Latania.] At once, screams appeared from the lower floors. There seemed to be a great ruckus. ss shattering, tables flipping, papers flinging.. . until, in the end, it turnedpletely quiet. Everybody looked at the door with bated breaths. Out of the blue, a young woman walked up again. She was one of those who had frantically tried to escape. Her clothes were drenched in blood, one leg and arm missing. Her face was painted with mucus, tears and running make up. "Pl.. . se, some.. . one. Save me." She fell too the floor. And suddenly, she stood up once more, a screeching sound escaping her lungs. Her face had turned into a porcin doll. "I am sure you are all confused," Latania spoke cheerfully, her voice reverberating through the cafe. "But count yourself lucky, mongrels. Except for a few other people, you get to try the game first. If you have any questions, meet me upstairs, and then we can start the official tutorial." Chapter 81: Reality Chapter 81: Reality "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit," Park Wonho kept screaming, as he sunk into the wooden chair. It creaked, as Wonho was a big man. Kim Jyejin sprang up, quickly taking cover. She looked at the ''doll'' with wide eyes. "What the hell is going on here?" The girl cocked her head around, looking at everything. The human that had turned into a puppet, the astounded customers and workers, the floating otherworldly message, and naturally, the calm Lee Dojin. She gulped. "This, this has to be a movie set or something right?" "That is a rather cliche reaction," Lee Dojin said with a bit of dark humor. "But, but!" Kim Jyejin stared at Lee Dojin. She was unsure of what words to form. Everyone else kept building distance. For now, they weren''t terrified as the doll did not move after screaming. "What the hell is going on? Dojin? Do you know anything? Is it a big prank?" She chuckled with a frozen expression. "If so, it really isn''t funny, you know?" Park Wonho shook violently. "I knew it. I knew it. Just like when I saw the light yesterday night. This is the end. The end." He held his head, his face pale. "Shut the hell up Wonho." "Kids, c, calm down. There has to be a reasonable exnation." Dong Jowoon spoke, though the words barely formed as his sight remained fixated on the doll. "Trust in your elders, this is just a hallucination." Lee Dojin smiled wryly. He did not react in any way, simply continuing to sip his coffee. Still, his thoughts swirled, thinking about the new messages. Especially the guide, Latania. The boy did not remember such a name, but he could already tell, that person was a cruel one, to throw all these unwitting people into the world of the mirage, without exining anything. He thought back to his first encounter. Just like now, he was one of the first to be attacked by the shadows. But his guide, at least exined what the Shadows entailed. To recap, a Dungeon could appear anywhere, but mostly they came in crowded areas. A huge invisible dome would epass a specific area within Earth, allowing no one to leave. That space would be known as the Dungeon Zone. Within, another world or would intertwine with Earth, changing some of thews and physics of the ce, creating a mish-mash of creation and destruction. Upon entering a Dungeon (whether by will or force) a message would appear for the person, naming the Dungeon titlemost often the that intermingled with Earthand its specific Guide. Those Guides, even now, are an enigma for humanity. They only appear to be the masters of the Zone, whose job is to oversee and not interfere with the dungeons'' process. They do not seem to care whether humans within perish or the Dungeon is beaten. They at most appear twice, once at the birth of a dungeon to offer a quest, secondly when it issues a reward. Even if the Quests arepleted, the Dungeon would not disappear. But at least, they be a non-danger zone, and people could leave or stay however they wanted. The guide would move on, creating another Dungeon in another ce, sometime in the future. "But this Latania hasn''t even offered a Quest yet, and people are already dying. What absolute contempt for human life." Lee Dojin finished his coffee. "Where the hell are the cameras? I don''t condone being filmed," an older man said while hiding his face. He had a bald head, with tattoos enveloping his whole body. "Get up. Come one, get up. I don''t have time for this." The man tugged at the doll to stand up. Lee Dojin was taken aback by that man''s brazen nature. He stood up, shouting, "You get away from it!" The man faced Dojin with a confused face. And without giving him any time to react, the doll lunged at him, taking a chunk out of that man''s neck. He shouted as he sprang back, holding his fresh wound. The doll, however, gave him no chance to escape as it tightly embraced him to the point it hurt. In the end, he was ripped apart, his flesh yed, and his skin embalmed until his tattoos turned into a mosaic. His rough, despairing voice continued reverberating in all the customers'' eardrums until it turned smaller and quieter. But in the end, he did not die. His eyes opened once more; turned into a lifeless doll, just like the one he died by. At once, mayhem broke out. Everyone witnessing the scene screamed, scrambling for the smallest things, then running away as fast as they could. Logic demanded them to walk down. But the ominous aura practically oozed from there. It was way too terrifying to go where these monsters came from. Thus, they could only go up, like headless chickens with no real aim. Dong Jowoon, too, was quick to break free. Not minding any of his students, he broke into a dash. Kim Jyejin shouted after him, but the man was quite fast, seeing he was a PE teacher. Immediately, Jowoon was one of the first in line to the next upper floor. "Is this guy for real," Kim Jyejin said in an exasperated tone. "Just leave him. He made his choice." Lee Dojin watched Park Wonho. The big man was currently puking his breakfast out. "Look there, the doll isn''t following us anyway." He pointed at the running crowd. Right behind them, the female doll with one leg hopped after them. It was quite aical sight, putting the terror aspect aside. ".. .I can''t believe this. What is happening?" Kim Jyejin held her mouth. Her face was even paler than before. "Is this a dream?" Park Wonho started breathing heavily. Lee Dojin patted the boy on the shoulder. "Calm down." "But.. ." The big guy looked at the doll created from that bald man. It was all mangled, creating such a grotesque image. It seemed to be resting, just like the doll, but who knew when it would attack? "Breathe in slowly. Do not think about it. Rx," Lee Dojin said. "This isn''t a request. It''s advice. If you cannot keep a cool head, you may as well die now." Kim Jyejin watched him. "Dojin, do you know anything about this?" "A little bit yes, a little no." Lee Dojin approached the doll. It screeched out loud. "But I can tell you this." It lunged at him, its mouth unhinged, with eyes devoid of any color staring at his soul. "This is neither a movie nor a dream." He caught the thing by its face. "What was once a precious human life, is worth less than the dirt you walk on." His grip tightened, and the doll screamed in a high-pitched voice. "This is reality. The earlier you get used to it, the longer you survive. Got it?" The doll''s face cracked and split into several pieces. It then motionlessly copsed on the spot. Lee Dojin shook his hand. The remaining dust in his hand scattered. He sped his palms together and offered a prayer. A human''s life had just perished. He shall never forget that fact. It would be easy to regard this as a single unknown casualty of many, Lee Dojin would not. This, in his mind, should never be considered normal. He turned around, looking at Kim Jyejin and Park Wonho. "Shall we go?" The two of them nodded absentmindedly. Was there anything worth saying at this point? Kim Jyejin kept her eyes on the motionless doll. Her mind grew faint, seeing such a disgusting scene. Lee Dojin''s words drifted back into her mind. ''The earlier you get used to it, the longer you survive''. "What floor are we currently on?" Dojin looked around. "The second?" "Then it''s three more to go. Let us hurry." She looked down. If her guess was correct, the bottom floor was already done for. In other words, they were the closest to the cmity below. A dead human would turn into a doll, it seemed, so how many had run down again? "But that Dong Jowoon, he really left us. What a bastard." "That''s the spirit," Lee Dojinughed, though it seemed empty. He stretched his body. "But you cannot me him for wishing to survive." He closed his eyes, his mother came to his mind again. "Not everybody is willing to endanger their lives for others. Wonho, can you stand." Park Wonho wiped his mouth. His face was still pale, but he nodded. The three of them quickly made their way to the third floor. "I think we are a bit slow,pared to the others," Kim Jyejin spoke, looking at the empty floor. No, it wasn''tpletely empty. Blood sprayed the wall, looking like an avant-garde painting. Chunks of flesh decorated the ground, creating a living hellscape, as if a meat grinder had exploded. If one looked more carefully, they''d find broken limbs, and torn clothes too. A nauseating smell permeated the air, making one feel like retching. "It''s a marathon, not a sprint," Lee Dojin said. "No, maybe it is better if we take our time since there won''t be as much attention on us." "Wait! Shush, there''s something there!" Park Wonho turned vignt. He pointed in the distance, where the toilets were. There appeared to be some movement. It was hard to tell whether it was a doll or a human. "Good eye," Lee Dojinplimented him. "Should we take a look?" "Wait, are you serious?" Park Wonho vehemently shook his head. "This is hardly the time for altruistic decisions!" "Don''t be such a coward," Dojin told him with a carefree smile. "The game hasn''t even started yet, and you want to betray your kin?" He faced Jyejin who appeared equally opposed, though she did not voice it. "Do not worry, I will not die, for there are a lot more people in need of help." Lee Dojin went to the toilet. A ttering sound responded. If he had to guess, it was a doll? "Wait, is someone there? Please, can you hear me," an unexpected voice resounded. "I beg you. My father has money, save me please!" Lee Dojin tilted his head. Somehow, that person seemed familiar. He turned to the left. There, he saw a half-broken doll overwhelming a young man. Promptly, he kicked the doll away. it flew against the wall and crumbled into pieces. "Thank you! Thank you for savi- guh, it''s you." "You, you are from my school right?" Lee Dojin rubbed his temples. What was this? An excursion? Howe so many people he knew were here today? Park Hansoo gulped. He looked at Kim Jyejin. Truthfully speaking, he had followed her to see what she was doing today. "Uh, sure?" Chapter 82: Knight Chapter 82: Knight "But, Christ Almighty, what the hell is going on?" Park Hansoo dabbed the sweat off his forehead. "My phone''s not working either, no matter who I try to call. What a nuisance." Kim Jyejin eyed him weirdly. Though Lee Dojin did not know who he was, the same did not go for her. That guy had been pursuing her for quite a while already, though he probably imagined he was discreet about it. Park Hansoo, in her mind, always had at least two other girls to his side. Every time they talked, he''d at least mention his rich dad once, and if not this then his penthouse and luxury car. Kim Jyejin loathed these types of people, and she was quick to make it clear to him. Still, for Park Hansoo, the harder the rebuttal, the greater the challenge. For him to be here, she could not imagine it as a coincidence. "It''s better if you put your phone away," Lee Dojin told him. "No matter who you call, they won''te. It is simply a needless distraction." "Huh? What the hell are you talking about?" Park Hansoo scoffed. "I just don''t have any connection right now. Just watch, I''ll catch these terrorists, and get them behind bars in due time. I will get the bestwyers, the best detectives and on my family name, snuff these bastards out." Heughed. "Youmoners have no need worrying about this." Jyejin, hearing him speak, grew angry. "How the hell are you talking to your savior? Do you have no shame?" "Wait, wait, I didn''t mean it like that." "Hush!" Park Wonho stopped them from talking. At once, it was as if they had turned mute. Park Hansoo quickly hid behind Lee Dojin, catching Kim Jyejins ire. "I think the next floor will be hard to ess." He pointed at the staircases, leading up. Lee Dojin''s eyebrows raised. He was surprised by that boy''s intuition. Looking at him, he did not seem the type to be so cautious and observant. "I agree." They didn''t hear anything, nor was there any weird person to be seen, but if one looked carefully, there seemed to be blood dripping down the stairs. Whatever was going on, it was close. "Then what do we do?" Kim Jyejin clicked her tongue. She guessed it too. If all the people had run upstairs, then that must be where all the mayhem was happening. So many humans dying, then turning to dolls and attacking each other as if they were zombies. The thought alone made her shudder. "We can''t go up this way." "Wait, what? Did you say up?" Park Hansoo looked at the girl as if he had seen the dead rise again. "Are you nuts? Why would we go up? I thought we were going down!" He looked to his right. There, he saw two fingers,ying in a pool of dark red liquid. He could not even swallow, seeing such sight. And they wished to go there? Not by a mile. "Did you not listen to the broadcast?" "So what? Why would you trust a bloodthirsty murderer?" Park Hansoo shook his head. "No way. I am going down. You all can go to your death by all means." "Are you serious right now?" Jyejin appeared exasperated. She''d have knocked some sense into the guy if it weren''t for the perilous situation. "You can''t go down. The whole ce is surrounded by these dolls. We''d be eviscerated on the spot!" "Then up is better?" Park Hansoo held his head. "Do you know how many people ran up? I can''t hear a single one of them anymore. What if they have turned into monsters too? And even if not, isn''t the big bad there too? What if they have weapons? You wanna battle royale them? It''s suicide!" "Guys, rx please." Park Wonho urged them to be silent. "If you scream too much, the other dolls may hear us." "I think your worry may havee true," Lee Dojin pointed at the door. At first, they did not quite get what he meant, but as the three of them listened, they heard some dull, thumping footfalls slowlying up. "They''re here!" Park Hansoo shouted, then immediately held his mouth. The dolls wereing up the cafe. But that was obvious, seeing as how everybody below had probably already died. "Fast, fast, we need to hide," Jyejin urged the guys and pulled them away. "They are way too many." Everyone quickly scrambled, as if they had discussed it prior. Kim Jyejin hid underneath a table wrapped in cloth, sitting next to the chair and holding her breath. Park Hansoo went away as fast as he could going for the toilet again. Wonho followed right behind, hiding in the women''s bathroom. Lee Dojin, he sighed, watching all the people hide, he wondered, should he follow? If anything, as a person who joined the trailer, he could easily beat these puppets. Still, this wasn''t about the puppets. The scariest thing in this cafe would be the guide. If he caught her attention this early, would he be able to protect Kim Jyejin and the others? Thus, he hid in the closet, with a small slit letting him see outside. The noise continued to grow louder, until one by one, mangled dolls walked up the stairs, leaving innumerable red footsteps on their path. 10, no maybe 20, stuttered around looking possessed, searching for anything in reach. Kim Jyejin held her mouth. She saw each of their feet (if they had any) pass by her table. There was a thick smell of blood surrounding them, disgusting her thoroughly. A doll, out of the blue, stopped moving. The others started to gather around it and searched through the floor. Park Hansoo and Wonho felt goosebumps well up to their skin as they approached the toilet. The first one even felt like crying. Suddenly, an unknown voice came from the upper floors. "Oh God, there are some here too. Pick up your weapons everybody!" A young guy, dressed in a tanktop appeared, in his hand, there was a club. Following right behind him, a few other people appeared, building somewhat of a group. They held various utensils, such as knives, a bottle, or even a broken broom. "If it''s only this much, we should be able to get them." Behind him appeared a group of people of varying ages and genders. The person who just talked was a young woman wearing a cap and clutching a long metal rod. In total, they were around 12 people, just a little less than the dolls. They all charged together with their weapons and destroyed the puppets without mercy, clubbing their heads in full power, and smashing them to bits. Though they sustained quite a few wounds (some looking rather grave), the dolls fell one by one, until ending as nothing but broken corpses. "Hah," the young guy breathed out. ".. .What the fuck is this?" His face twisted in pain, though it wasn''t from the wounds. "This is harder than the time I went to military service." A middle-aged woman leaned on the wall. Her clothes had a bloody imprint. She wept silently in the corner. Still, no one could console her, even though they heard everything loud and clear. A young child hid in the corner. Even she had a small hammer in her callus-free hands. "Hold on, guys, do you hear this," someone else in the group spoke up. "Be quiet. There''s some noise from the stairs." The group promptly tensed up. They tightly gripped their makeshift weapon, hard enough to tremble. As the guy said, there was a sound. It was rhythmic, incredibly heavy footfalls, slowly making its way up the stairs. The ground shook a little with every step it took. "What in God''s green earth is this?" The young guy looked up. His weapon fell to the floor as he let go. The doorframe broke as a gigantic monstrosity, dpletely in metal and in its hand a double-handed ax, reaching from the floor to the ceiling came through. His armor ttered with every move it took, creating heavy sparks. Its eyes glowed red, though there appeared to be a ck-ish aura surrounding it. There was no one willing to fight that thing. At once, everybody broke into a dash. The young guy quickly turned around. However, the great knight moved fast, and with one swung of his ax, he broke severalmps, left a deep crater in the ceiling, and split the man in halfhis internal matter sying everywhere. Every step it took left a deep imprint on the floor. Its rumbling was like a low-grade earthquake. It swung its ax haphazardly and destroyed everything in its sight. The group was decimated and massacred without a single chance. They were all split into pieces, several human body parts flying around. All it took were several seconds for almost everyone to die. The child stood there, her legs quivering greatly. She cried loudly, but there was no one to save her. The knight looked at the girl, it was about to swing his ax down, yet at thest second, it moved away, its eyes glued to a wardrobe in the corner. Lee Dojin stared at the knight, great bloodlust oozing out of him. His eyes were full of darkness, the deathly aura leaking out of him bent even the surrounding air. It was as if the grim reaper had arrived. The armored puppet moved. No one was sure what happened. However, it left for the stairs, returning to the bottom floor once more. Lee Dojin''s party walked out. "This is insanity," Park Wonho muttered. His eyes shook greatly as he looked at all the bodies on the floor. It looked even worse than before. Park Hansoo quickly ran to the toilet. He retched out everything he ate. Kim Jyejin, she could say nothing. Underneath the table, she had witnessed the terror of what happened. Her face was deadly pale, and she seemed to have trouble staying lucid. Lee Dojin looked at all the fresh corpsesor what was left of them. Suddenly, the individual body parts started to move. He quickly backed off. His eyes opened wide. "You have got to be joking." Kim Jyejin held her mouth. She stepped back then fell to the ground. "This has to be hell.. ." A torso, a hand, a leg, a head.. . they all started floating, almost dancing, and moving with a thought of their own. The people who died here had turned into dolls. Chapter 83: The Influence of Lee Dojin Chapter 83: The Influence of Lee Dojin "Everybody, grab something to fight with," Lee Dojin shouted at the group. He dashed forward, grabbing the young child and jumping away. A hand that was about to grab her, grabbed air instead. Kim Jyejin looked around. There was still the metal rod left by the young woman. She turned to the left and caught the sight of the floating doll parts. Her body turned numb from fear. A wave of doubt washed over her. Did she really want to fight these monsters? Had she gone insane? What could she as a mere human do against such supernatural sight? Yet, her eyes met Lee Dojin, who, while holding the small child, grabbed the other dolls with his bare hand and crushed them. She pped her face twice, on both cheeks. "Wake up," she shouted to herself. "Wake up, wake up!" Jyejin propped herself up and grabbed the rod. Adrenaline pumped into her body, and she swung the stick of metal like a baseball bat. A floating hand crumbled, getting hit by her. She took a deep breath, then stabilized herself. She had seen it from Lee Dojin. There was no use being afraid. Whatever it takes, she will survive this to see another day. Lee Dojin was fast and precise. He hadn''t even used any of his abilities yet. In this small space, Cosmic Steps wasn''t that effective, and he hadn''t tested Novas'' End before (and its description gave quite the dangerous picture). But more than anything these dolls weren''t any challenge to him. Still, the anger in him could not subside. One, for letting his mother die once more. Two, for being utterly powerless against the Inciter and the arrival of the Mirage. Three, for letting the people in this room get butchered by these monsters and ying into the hands of that detestable guide. He grit his teeth. His eyes glowed red. His fist punched straight through a doll''s head, skewering it, and hitting the wall to cause a crack on it. The whole room shook for a second. Blood seeped out his hand. Lee Dojin breathed out to calm down. Still, his mind continued rumbling with impure thoughts. He looked at the little girl andughed half-heartedly. "Ah, sorry, did I scare you?" He ced her down. "Don''t worry, you are safe now." ".. ." The girl didn''t say anything. She just nodded absentmindedly while tears kept flowing down her reddish cheeks. Kim Jyejin hit another head and cracked it in two. The surrounding arms fell limp too, following that, and she came to a sudden conclusion. "Dojin, I just realized something!" They did not worry about the noise anymore. "If you destroy their heads, the rest of the body parts fall apart." Lee Dojin smiled. "Is that so? Great observation." His eyes moved rapidly. At once, he caught three heads and destroyed them. A few other body parts in the distance stopped moving too. "It seems to be correct." "W-Wait, let me join too!" Park Hansoo walked out of the toilet while wiping the spit off his mouth. He grabbed a wine bottle and swung it down on a doll. "As if I''d let these pieces of garbage walk all over me. I am Park Hansoo, god damnit!" However, contrary to his expectations, the doll did not die. Instead, it reached its arms out and grabbed Hansoo by the shoulder. It squeezed tightly, and moved its unhinged jaw closer, ready to take a big bite. Park Wonho came from behind and quickly pulled the rich kid aside, flinging him a few meters. "Are you stupid," he shouted. "How''d you let yourself be caught like that? You were almost dead meat!" "Eh, ha.. .haha, thanks," Hansoo coughed twice. His face flushed red, thoroughly embarrassed. He had been saved twice now, and all in front of Jyejin. What great shame. Meanwhile, Lee Dojin was showing off, moving in lightspeed and doing quick work of these weak dolls. He bit his thumb. "So annoying! So annoying! You, I forgot what your name was, but let''s go together. They can''t catch both of us." Park Wonho vehemently shook his head. "I refuse." "Are you joking? No, seriously, are you?" Hansoo felt his jaw drop. By the looks of it, that guy had the size of a panzer. He had to be several times stronger than that Lee Dojin, as he was also a famous delinquent of the school. But as it turned out, he was a coward the whole time? "Bro, this ain''t no time to be selfish. Tell me, what do you need? Money? I have a lot. Just get your ass moving. Come on." "No way. You trust me too much," Park Wonho answered steadfastly. "I''m just a loser with a slightly better build. I am a weakling, who can''t do anything." "This isn''t the time to be humble! get your ass mov" his voice was cut short, as two dolls appeared next to him. He shrieked as if jump scared, then swung the bottle wildly and with no regard. Park Wonho bit his lips and clenched his fist enough for it to bleed. He watched on as these people fought. This was fine, he thought. The dolls were getting less and less. And as he watched Lee Dojin, and the way he moved so inhuman yet elegantly, he felt incredibly powerless. Like this, he''d only get in the way. "It will be fine, even without me." Lee Dojin looked at Wonho. He didn''t say anything. His hands continued moving, with every swing, a body part got destroyed and turned to dust. In a way, he was a lot more destructive than the knight. "This is what true strength looks like, Taewon," Wonho muttered to himself, thinking about his friend who had visited him at the hospital. He once again believed steadfast, Dojin was a mountain he''d never reach, as this was a power that defied responsibility and social burdensthe ultimate freedom to him. "3 minutes remaining," Latania, the guide, broadcasted. Wonho felt something tugging his pants. He quickly jumped back. However, looking down, he saw it was only the little girl who Dojin had saved. She was currently grabbing his leg and hiding behind him. Park Wonhoughed. ".. .did youe to me because I looked tough? Sorry to disappoint you then." The child continued gripping onto him. He sighed, as he thought he could not live up to her expectations. "Hey, the one you should really go to is that guy over there," he pointed at Lee Dojin. "He has what you need." The child shook her head. Her mouth opened, but she could not say anything, as she looked to the left with terrified eyes. Park Wonho followed her sight, and right in front of him, there was a female doll reaching its arm out. "Shit!" When did that thing appear? He did not notice at all. One moment of absence spelled his doom. He looked away and lifted both of his hands and one leg, in an effort to hide. He quickly forgot about the child, and only hoped to protect himself. Yet, even after a few seconds, nothing happened. It was Kim Jyejins scream that woke him up, "Wonho, you fucking bastard! Save that child!" He opened his eyes. The doll was on the floor, leaning over that young girl, with its long ck hair draped over her face. Her thumbs were wrapped tightly around her neck, while her mouth drooled saliva down. The child kicked its small legs but obviously held no strength to break free. Park Wonho felt as if lightning had struck his whole body. In the first ce, that doll never went for him, but the young girl. He could have saved her. However, stuck in his brooding, he was blinded by what was happening. No matter if strong or weak. This was only pure cowardice. He grabbed the chair next to him and screamed loud enough to hurt his throat. With all his might, he mmed down on the doll. It was not only filled with the strength of his fist but also the weight of his emotions. The doll''s back broke together with the chair, creating an incredible explosion of debris. Its hands let go of the girl. Park Wonho''s chest rose up and down. He shuddered a little. "I did it." Lee Dojins'' head rapidly turned, it almost looked unnatural. "You fool! Aim for the head!" "Huh?" Wonho stepped away, suddenly, the doll''s head appeared and bit down on his shoulder. He yelled in agony, as its teeth sunk into his flesh. He writhed around, but the doll held a tight grip. The young girl grabbed the nearest cup and shouted, "duck!" she threw and hit the doll, who shrieked loudly, as it let go. The ss shattered, and she took a te this time. Her aim was impable. Park Wonho ran away, holding his wounded arm. He turned around and congratte her with a happy smile, but his face quickly darkened as he saw the child hitting the doll''s fallen head repeatedly, breaking many tupperwares, the shards cutting her hands. Wonho pulled away. "Stop, stop, it''s already dead," he spoke in rm. The kid cried. "I-I''m sorry. I''m sorry. Sorry." She continued flinging her snall arms, hoping to get out of the guy''s hold. "I''m sorry," she bawled as she looked at the shattered head. "Mom, I''m sorry, for killing you." The party did not say anything. They held no words of constion, nor anything hopeful. Even Park Hansoo, who usually was so full of himself, remained silent. "Let us continue," Lee Dojin broke the silence. "Or the knight may return." Those words got them moving. The next floor was worse than before. Here, people fought for their lives, swinging whatever they had, crying in despair, begging for salvation, sabotaging each other, and dying left and right. Some even tried jumping out the window. But there wasn''t even a dent on it as they tried to break it. Lee Dojin''s group, however, never said a single word. They marched silently, not minding anyone''s business, as they reached the top floor. There, they saw a red-haired woman in the middle of the room, sitting on a floating chair. She had her legs crossed and smiled happily. "Looks like you are thest ones; that''s a lot more than I thought. Now, shall we start the tutorial?" Chapter 84: Status Window Chapter 84: Status Window Lee Dojin observed his surroundings. The top floor was a lot smaller than the other ones, but it was still sizable enough for people to move around freely. The safe zone, named by the guide, was only a small portion of it. There the people sat quietly, hugging whatever makeshift weapon they had. No one there dared to make a noise. At most, tears would flow every so often, as the people hupped to hide their voices. The group ran into the safe zone. Jyejins sight was caught by a corpse right next to the safe zone. He had turned into a doll, so close to the finish line. What a shame. She averted her eyes from reality. "Dojin and Jyejin? Is it you guys? No way, I am so d." The PE teacher, Dong Jowoon approached the group with a relieved face. "I always believed you''d all make it. I wouldn''t know what would happen to me if a few students died in my care. So I really am happy." He almost appeared to be in tears. As one of the first to arrive, he did not have to face many dolls. However, as he entered the safe zone, he had ample time to think about his actions and slowly felt guilty. Kim Jyejin scoffed. What a vile man, she thought. How could he stand there, pretending like he had not abandoned them? This world really was full of two-faced bastards. She didn''t even want to say anything, as it would just be a waste of breath. Not even Park Wonho or Hansoo disgusted her as much. "Wait, please, take me with you," a woman shouted from behind. She was dragged away by a few dolls by her legs. "I beg you! I beg you!" Aside from the safe zone, the top floor was the harshest, with so many dolls and people fighting for their lives. Even if they arrived here, it was hard to pass into the zone unless they had any survival skills. Park Wonho covered the little girls'' eyes. He grit his teeth and also looked away. Whether young or old, no human should ever have to witness such grotesque sight. "Time''s up." Latania pped her hands. A couple that was just about to arrive tried setting foot into the safe zone, but it was as if they were stopped by an invisible wall. "Huh?" They looked at each other. At once, the two of them grew rmed. With all their might, they mmed their hands against the barrier, but no matter what, they could not go in. "Help! help, please!" The two of them looked back. The dolls slowly approached them. Everyone inside the safe zone witnessed the couple as they tried to barge in, yet they couldn''t say anything. It was as if everyone knew. Those two were doomed. The various dolls dragged them away, and with their strange jaws, bit into the couple as they ripped them apart, spitting out any flesh. Even as they perished, no blood reached into the safe zone. The same went for everyone else. Anybody that hadn''t made it inside, perished by being eaten alive. Even as they ran, the dolls grabbed them away. For those whose only hope was to jump out the window, it was like hitting a brick wall. A woman even stabbed herself, in hopes of escaping this hell. For anyone inside the zone, watching this scene wasplete mayhem. Nobody could utter anything, even after all these people had turned into dolls. Lee Dojin, he could only bite onto his lips until they started to bleed. Kim Jyejin looked at him and saw he had his fist clenched, enough for them to shudder. Going by his expression, it was hard to believe that boy was the childhood friend she had known since age 5. The guideughed heartily. It was as if she was in another world. "Now everybody, do not be sad. Chang is meant to be. Grief gives you two options. You either get swallowed or change. The decision is up to you." Her grating voice would remain even in the deepest nightmares of these survivors. "You have been chosen! Do not waste the lives that have been sacrificed for you to live." A message popped up for everyone to see. They all twitched involuntarily. [The guide is issuing the Main Quest.] "Well, let us start the game, shall we?" Latania stood up and patted her knees. "So as you ungrateful bastards may have realized, from this day on, the world you knew and held dearly will no longer be here. Your puny has been chosen by the shadows, a mysterious force in outer space set out to conquer the universe. It is on you to resist them." She lifted her finger. "Remember this well. Your enemy is the shadows. Not me. I am here to help you. Well, more or less." Park Hansoo cocked his head. He did not seem to understand what she was saying. Or maybe he didn''t want to understand this surreal experience. How could anything believe this garbage? It was like a plot out of a B-Movie. But he knew one thing for sure. The people who had died, that was reality. "I''m being serious right now, apes." The guide suddenly grew irate. "I will only exin it once. If you forget, you weren''t worth the effort in the first ce. You should have all gotten a message. You have entered a dungeon. Well, for you guys, it may be more apt to say that a dungeon had spawned at your ce." She joked and chuckled by herself. "This is the shadows M.O.; In the future domes will randomly spawn at any part of your world. There will be an invisible barrier not allowing you to enter, but not leave. You can only look outside, but never in. Within this barrier, Earth will merge with another, creating an unstable hybrid ofs with all kinds of species. You will understand what I mean when you leave the cafe. And even if you ever beat the dungeon, Earth will not change back. So get used to it." ".. .Mom, please, save me," an absentminded boy muttered, and immediately, his head exploded. "Listen to me!" The guide clenched her fist. "It''s not like I like exining this stuff to you either. However, you need to understand this. The only way to leave a dungeon is bypleting the Main Quest issued by me, a guide." She sighed. "But do not worry. The world is not heartless, and the system has given you a chance. Thest battlecry so to speak." She swept her hands. Suddenly, the survivors all stepped away, startled. Lee Dojin saw no change, but he could imagine what had happened. A message appeared for everyone but him. [The Mirage epts your way of living. All people pass their legacy around. Losing your life cannot be called death; it is merely a long rest. It is only when one is forgotten that one truly has died. Inherit your will. Fight for your name. From now on, turn your legacy into power. Warrior, never forget, always remember. It is when one''s will disappears that Death has trulye reap them. Please select your Affinity:] The guide left the system to do the exining. Even though the survivors were skeptical at first, they read on, in hopes of living just a little longer. For Lee Dojin, he had been incredibly curious. Had the timee for humanity to gain the powers of a God? Kim Jyejins next sentence confirmed his thoughts. "Uh, what should I choose?" Her face was full of question marks. Lee Dojin looked at her, then realized that Wonho and Hansoo did the same. "Well, if I had to exin, this is like creating an RPG character. You choose whatever you want." "Then, can you do it for me? I have" "Shush." Lee Dojin put his finger on her mouth. "Don''t tell me. It is neither for me, nor the guide or the people around us to know what your Affinity is. A choice is one of the easiest things," he said, "Truthfully speaking, you can already feel one of these titles resonating with you, don''t you?" Kim Jyejin nodded, though she was still unsure. She pondered over the options given to her. It went the same for the other two guys. Though they did not quite understand it, they paid serious attention to this message, seeing how Lee Dojin had said so. Only Dong Jowoon had some trouble, his face appearing rmed. "What do you do if you have no choices?" ".. .Well, there are times like that. No. It happens quite often, actually," Lee Dojin told him so. "I guess, the only thing you can do is pray to gain one sometimeter during the dungeon." "No way.. ." His face turned pale white, as he saw his future as bleak. It was hard for anyone to feel bad for him though, witnessing his actions from before. A few minutes passed, with every survivor reading the message thoroughly. The guide started talking again. "Well then everybody, if you ever wish to see your Affinity or any other info about yourself, just think about a status window, and it will open." Finally, there was something for Lee Dojin to do. Ever since he had transmigrated to this world, he never got to see his real status window. The one he summoned during the trailer was only a rudimentary one, meant for that one quest. A real one epassed a lot more information. [EX Inheritor of the Universe (Choice), Lee Dojin Skills: Cosmic Steps(B), Nova''s End(B). Arts: Seven Trumpets, The Man who Stands Alone, Devas'' Dance, Voidless Eyes. Titles: King of the Shadows. Dungeons: World of Dolls (D). Affiliation: --> Most of the things were as he expected. No, it felt great to actually see things aside from his affinity. As he continued going into dungeons, and the Mirage expanded its domain, more info would inevitably surface on the status system. If he clicked on the skill section, he''d be able to gain more detailed info, such as Divergent Skills, like Nova''s End. Arts, or sometimes known as attributeless skills, are abilities that did not require an Affinity to learn. They could be anything, from magic learned through scrolls or inheritance, simple body strengthening techniques, or martial arts honed to their peak. It simply had to be something the system epted as a legitimate skill. Lee Dojin had collected quite a lot of them over the years, though most of them had disappeared, it would seem. Only those that need no special training or had been engraved into his very soul remained with him. Though he had only used the Seven Trumpets, the martial art bestowed upon him by God. However, he did not care about these things. There was something at the bottom of his status, which astonished him enough to be visibly confused. [Blessings: The Fourth Sign(???), The Concubine(???), The Almighty One (???)] These were things pertaining to the Second Advent. Chapter 85: The Main Quest Chapter 85: The Main Quest Though the blessing hid their names, it wasn''t hard to tell who they were. The Inciter, his mother, and thest one, if he had to guess, God? What a line-up. The random assortment of deities almost gave him whish. If anyone knowledgeable of the second advent were to see this, they may just faint from shock. To gain even one of the blessings of any of these beings was akin to winning the lottery every time they yed. It was an immeasurable amount of luck. But for Lee Dojin, it currently did not do much. They were all greyed out. He could not even click on them, so there was little point in thinking about these things. A little in the distance, a bright fire broke out, scaring anyone nearby away. However, the fire quickly contained itself, flowing freely, then diminishing in the hand of a young man. He stood there, his jaw loose, as if unable to believe what he himself did. The guide continued talking. "I suppose you all have chosen your Affinity and skill now?" She rubbed her head. A fireball suddenly appeared in front of her, thrown out by that man. ".. .What an idiot," Kim Jyejin voiced out from the side. She closed her eyes. For anyone who was on the top floor and knew of the woman''s prowess, already knew what would happen. It wasn''t even worth a sigh, seeing that man waste his life so pointlessly. Latania rubbed her brows, turning slightly irate. "That''s the problem with you single-celled monkeys, you don''t think. Don''t be too excited, you do not even have a ss yet. Your abilities are just the bare needed necessities for you to survive." She waved her hand, and the fire immediately dissipated, leaving only a wide-eyed young man. "You ungrateful bastard, even though I granted you powers to survive, you use it against me. What should I do with you?" She twirled her finger. The man''s body started to twist, as he screamed in incredible agony, and his flesh and skin ripped apart, with his bones crunched. He twisted and twisted until he looked like nothing more than a red rope. As for his life, who knew when it had perished. An olderdy knelt on the ground. She couldn''t hold it anymore and started weeping loudly. She had her sped her hands together and prayed, "Please, God, I beg thee, save us from our sins." Her clouded eyes stared at the ceiling. "As long as you are in my dungeon, I am your God." The guideughed loudly. Her grating voice echoed in the room, reverberating into everyone''s ears. "God? There is no God anymore. He hath already perished when the Shadows arrived." "Tsk." Lee Dojin scoffed. "What a joke. God will never die." ".. .There seems to be someone else who does not know his ce," Latania stared right at him. For the first time, the two of them held direct eye contact. "She is the concept of existence. Her breath alone births and destroys innumerable gxies. There is no power that can touch Her. If She so willed, then it shall be so," he continued speaking, even when Kim Jyejin was pulling at his sleeve. "I hold no faith in Her, but for a Being beyond creation, reality, logic, infinity, and eternity, death is simply an impossibility." The guide appeared amused. "You talk as if you have met Him personally." "Maybe I did." ".. .What an interestingd. So there are some crazy people here who made it out too. I wonder, will you make this dungeon more exciting?" She was so close to killing him but changed her mind. Some things were so absurd, they weren''t even worth being irritated above. "Cling to your non-existent deity then. I do not care. For the rest, let us start the Main Quest, shall we?" [The Dolls That Remain Abandoned Humans are no different from dolls. The strings are just harder to see. Money, Love, Happiness are what moves people, and ultimately are where one finds purpose. And just like a doll inevitably loses its owner, a human too will one day be abandoned. For those who have no future, they find themselves lost in the World of Dolls. Quest type: Main. Difficulty: D. Size: The whole district of MyeongDong. Clear Conditions: Defeat the Boss who controls these puppets. Time Limit: 7 days] "Well, if you have any questions, don''t ask me," the guide spoke and pped her hands. "What? Why are you guys looking at me like that? Oh wait, it''s a misunderstanding. I am not the boss. You will have to find that person yourself." She shook her finger. Out of the blue, a portal appeared next to her. "Anyway, MyeongDong has a total poption of 30.000. As you can tell, I have a lot more people to terrorize. I can''t wait, will you guys survive or all turn into lifeless dolls before that~" She then disappeared into the portal leaving the remaining humans standing stunned and in a daze. Within the next few hours, the guide would terrify countless more hotspots, until everyone in MyeongDong realized what had befallen them. For people outside, nobody knew what exactly was happening. [6 more hours until all safe zones disappear. We urge the yer to take a rest until then.] "Take a rest? Then what?" The people here were still in a state of shock. There had been too much info at once, thus it was hard toprehend what exactly was going on. "I, I don''t get it? Can someone exin? Please?" A middle-ageddy looked around the room. "In the first ce, what''s a boss? What is an Affinity? How do I use this? I never yed these types of games." "Madam, calm down first, I am sure we will figure something out," a younger boyhe was a barista heretried reassuring her. "I''m sure the police is on its way." "Police, don''t joke around. You have seen these dolls. That''s not something those government puppies could handle. We need a real threat, like the defense force." A tattooed guy scoffed as he lit a cigarette. "In the first ce, how are we supposed to get out of here?" His question stumped the other people. The guy was right. Going by what they saw, every person who died would have by now turned into a doll. Their numbers are now a lot higher than before. "B, but we have these weird powers now! Yes, you guys heard that guide too. She called them Affinities." The barista nodded, reassuring himself. "If we could use these abilities, I am sure this will be a piece of cake!" "Brother stop joking around. This isn''t a fantasy game," the other guy shouted. "You are dealing with human lives here. Who the hell knows what devil''s magic has been brought to us? You want to rush into a horde of monsters with crystal stones brought by the enemy?" "That.. . I''m sorry." A woman walked forward. She had long ck hair, tied together with a red ribbon. "I think we should rx, guys. If we go by the strange message, there are still some hours to go before we are in true danger." She cated the rowdy people. "Let us work together, not apart. I think that will be the best for us. Shall we start with an introduction? My name is Hwa Endo." The barista agreed with her notion. "I am Ji In-Su, I am supposed to be here part-time. Well, was.. ." His voice trailed off as he realized his manager had been eaten and turned into a doll. "My name is Kang Soomin," the olderdy said and nervously tugged at her pearl ne. "I am a district manager at Silwa Industries." The strangers all looked at each other and slowly began to introduce themselves. This was still a civilized world after all. They did not know what was happening outside the cafe, thus, they held hope that life would still return to normal. And even though there was some wariness, this game did not seem to be a solitary game. "What a gullible group," the tattooed man said and shook his head. "But fine, let us work together. I am Zheng Yunhe, hailing from the Chinese province HuNan. I was supposed to be here for vacation with my wife. Nice to meet you." On his left stood a woman, he bowed meekly. Nobody had noticed her until he said so. The woman with a red ribbon, Hwa Endo, nodded. "So, I suppose we agree that it would be best to find a way outside?" She stretched her hand out. The people wondered what she was doing, until a few icicles formed above her palm, lightly floating. "Even if you are against whatever this freakish ability is, no one can deny that this is our only key to survive." Hwa Endos'' words strangely resonated with the other people. Maybe this wasn''t impossible after all. But there was one thing these guys did not know. No, maybe only Lee Dojin''s group understood. "What will you guys do about the knight," Kim Jyejin asked the survivors, straight to the point. The young child next to Wonho shivered, seeing all these clueless adults. The girl looked at Lee Dojin, realizing he did not engage with them at all. She asked him meekly, "Oppa, what are you doing?" "All those old people and that big knight." Dojin knelt down and patted her head. "Do they scare you?" She nodded without a thought. The girl feltpletely helpless and lost. There was no terror greater than that. "Then I shall kill that knight for you," he said just for her to hear. "You do not have to worry about anything." Chapter 86: No Longer a Civil Nation Chapter 86: No Longer a Civil Nation "Knight," Endo looked at her. "What knight?" "You haven''t seen it. It''s a humongous monster, swinging around a big ax and decimating humans and dolls alike. The thing is probably at the bottom of the cafe," Jyejin exined. "We stand no chance against that thing." Park Wonho and the child nodded. Even with supernatural abilities, it was impossible to win against that freak. The knight was never designed to be beaten after all. "Is that so?" Endo rubbed her chin in irritation. "It''s true I haven''t seen the monster described by you. Does anyone else know about this?" ".. .I have seen it." Zheng Yunhe suddenly lifted his hand. "But only a quick nce. I agree with the high-school girl. That thing is catastrophe incarnate." "I see." Hwa Endo gritted her teeth. She was unsure if that Yunhe wasn''t just lying to stay here, but it wasn''t wise to question him in order to avoid discord. "But still, we can''t stay here forever." The barista agreed. "I still have to meet my mum, she is probably very worried." The olderdy followed suit. "I also need to do my monthly report, otherwise I will get in big trouble with the higher-ups." Park Hansoo let all these people talk until he could not bear it anymore. "You guys are selfish bastards. Why do you all want to die in vain? Your lives may be worth nothing, but I still holda future." Dong Jowoon looked at Kim Jyejin. "Are you sure what you saw was correct?" Am I sure?" Kim Jyejin stared at him, baffled. "Do you think I imagined it? It killed more than 10 people. I still have their blood on my clothes!" "There''s no need to scream," Jowoon spoke back. "I am still your teacher, there should be a limit of disrespectfulness, don''t you think?" "Look at him talk, unbelievable." Jyejin and the others were at a loss for words. The man''s shamelessness knew no bounds. At once, the group broke into a heated discussion again. This time, not even Endo could stop them. They were divided into primarily two camps. Those who wished to stay here, and those who wished to leave. everyone argued over each other, giving no one room to speak. Each side made good points. "Everyone, please, calm down," Endo shouted. The barista walked forward. "Then how about we go down anyways? We should verify it with our own eyes." He scratched his head. "You say he is at the bottom right? Then we can destroy all the dolls that are atop." Zheng Yunhe was quick to chime in. "Hold on, what if the knight went up? We can''t be sure about this. If what the girl said is correct, they couldpletely decimate us. This isn''t a risk we can take." "Damn it, then what do you suggest us doing? You have only been criticizing us without giving any real input," Ji In-Su shouted. "The safe zone is gone in a few hours anyway, and the time limit is less than a week. We can''t sit here twiddling our thumbs." Kang Soomin pondered deeply. "I have an idea." She lifted her hands. "Let us send a scout group. They should sneak through and take a look." "Lady are you serious," Park Hansoo shouted who hadn''t chimed in said. "There''s no one who''d actually go. This is practically suicide." "It isn''t impossible," the older woman replied. "Think about it, if we pick people that have suitable Affinities then maybe they stand a chance to go back. It''s just like starting a new project. The first thing we need to do is gather information." The barista In-Su agreed meekly. "What she is saying is correct. We should not risk the whole group, but we also cannot stay here forever." He gulped. "Does anyone her maybe have a good ability? I''m sure you all have chosen something, right? Let''s work as a group." "Count me out," Zheng Yunhe said, "This is too stupid, even for you guys'' standards. I''m not going to risk my life for strangers, and I won''t y the sacrifice either." Lee Dojin''s group eyed each other. They were at a loss for words. "Now, now. Let''s not be like this," Kang Soomin smiled wryly. "This isn''t a sacrifice. You wille back after all. One hand washes the other, and the rest of the group will protect you against the dolls in return. Miss Hwa, don''t you agree?" "Y-yes," the woman replied, though a little bit stunned by the development. "I, I mean, sure?" "We should decide by majority vote," Thedy spoke, then pointed at Kim Jyejin. "You, what Affinity and skill did you choose?" "Huh? Me?" She tilted her head. "What does that have to do with me?" "I think it is only fair that we leave our abilities transparent so we can alle up with a good strategy." "Don''t even dream about it," she scoffed. "We already gave you all the info we had, and you wish for more? There''s no point in our group scouting in the first ce." Dong Jowoon still stood next to her. "I agree, I can''t just let my students walk into danger like this." He shook his head. "However, Jyejin, maybe you should still tell them. This is no time to be selfish. It''s just something minuscule in the first ce, right?" ".. .Every single one of you." Jyejins face turned incredibly bleak. "Fine, if you want to know this much, I will show you." A sudden darkness epassed her. Each and every one of these people was beyond help. She hade to realize as she grew older, all these humans are tainted with hypocritical selfishness. They did not wish the best for themselves, they only wanted other people to suffer. They threw other people under the bus but screamed deceit when it happened to them. They envy those who wish to break free. The same went for her uncle too, she found out. All humanity is in the way of her freedom. Her eyes lost the usual vividness. It would seem before she could use the ability on dolls, it would be those humans to take the blunt. "Rx." Lee Dojin suddenly patted her on the shoulder. He leaned forward with a smile, hooking his arm around her neck. "Do not let your emotions control you. There is no need to worry, as long as I am here." The darkness dissipated. She turned around. "Dojin.. ." Dong Jowoon appeared ted. "At least one guy who knows how to respect an authority figure. That Kim Jyejin, seriously, even if shees from a good family, that doesn''t mean she can get whatever she wants." "Are you done preaching?" "Huh?" Lee Dojin grabbed Dong Jowoons head, and to everyone''s surprise, lifted him in the air. "You seem to have misunderstood." He squeezed a little, and the PE teacher screamed. "This isn''t the school anymore. And you hold no authority, just like everyone else." He threw him away, then looked at all the other people, giving them the middle finger. "The same goes for all of you. The only thing that will rule this world from now on is strength. Your words mean nothing in this dungeon. If you want me to die for you, force me." The barista walked forward. "Hey, who do you think y" His voice was cut short, with Lee Dojin suddenly appearing in front of him. He fell to the ground, his lips quivering. "Majority vote? Stop fucking around. Then, if I kill all of you, will I be the majority? Face it, no matter how many people you bring, you are worthless if you cannot stand before me." Lee Dojin stared him down. In-Su could have sworn, even the dolls and the guide weren''t as scary as this man. "I''ve nned on listening longer, but you guys are making me puke. I have seen the extent of your resolve. Now let me ask a question," he paused and lifted a finger, "If you guys survived, would humanity prosper?" Though he tried to surpress it, leftover bloodthirst still leaked through him. All the survivors stood still. They were drenched in a cold sweat without even realizing. Once more, their fight or flight response activated, though they did not understand why. All they thought were that this wasn''t as safe of a zone they initially believed. "I will take care of the knight. But I won''t be scouting." He turned around, staring at every person. "I am going to destroy it. So you better hold your end of the bargain." He disappeared immediately. The star from Cosmic steps brought him to the first floor. Indeed, there the knight sat with its arms crossed. It also had sensed Lee Dojin''s presence. It stood up, ready to fight. "How irritating." The boy licked his lips, excited for the first time today. "I''d like to try the Arts I haven''t used yet, so do not die too fast, alright?" ... In the meantime, the people wondered what Lee Dojin meant with ''bargain''. They did not dare to argue anymore. Aside from the guide, there was another monster hiding with them it seemed. Dong Joowons face was white as a sheet, feeling as if he had brushed past death. For the barista, he simply could not stand up as his legs had given up. having Lee Dojin staring down on him was akin to staring into a crocodile''s mouth. Every fiber of his being told him not to engage. Zheng Yunhe also stood there, stunned. Though he hadn''t said it, the man was ex-military. He had been into many perilous situations, some that left him scarred to this day. Yet, he had never feared for the life of him and his wife than when Lee Dojin''s nce brushed past him.He understood the guide was a different being, thus he held no abstract feelings. But that boy, he was undoubtedly human; thus it was that much more terrifying. Kim Jyejin breathed out. Park Wonho supported her through his shoulder, and the young girl stood next to her. They weren''t that surprised by his actions. Instead, they held a mysterious pride, seeing the reaction from the other people. There was no doubt in their minds that Lee Dojin would return. And indeed, only five minutester, his voice resounded. "You said you will protect those who scouted the knight and returned alive. Then go kill these dolls for me, won''t you?" Lee Dojin appeared within the group again. He swept his hair back and sat down. To his left, there was a decapitated head, with a broken metal helmet. The thing showed no signs of life. Chapter 87: The Four Arts Chapter 87: The Four Arts "Pincer them from the side. Don''t let any of them escape," a person shouted as he swung at the dolls. The barista, In-Su, shouted, "To the left," he mmed down on a doll with a chair. "There''s moreing!" "Uhwah, someone, please help me," Kang Soomin squatted down and held her head. The survivors of this cafe were currently fighting their way down in a group. Just one more floor to go, and they would arrive at the bottom and get a chance to leave this wretched hellhole. Though the safe zone would stillst for a few hours, they made quick work with the dolls and beat them one by one. Though it was a tedious task, and not many agreed with this decision, no one dared to ck off. The reason for that was a young ck-haired boy standing behind them, staring. The group felt sweat run down their backs. No one dared to turn around in fear of looking him into the eyes. All they could do was work diligently and hope to leave this ce and that monster as soon as possible. Kim Jyejin walked right next to Lee Dojin. "Do you really think it is a good idea, leaving like this? If we stayed in that cafe, it would be a lot easier to fend off against these zombie puppets, you know?" Park Hansoo and Dong Jowoon agreed by nodding their heads. They were part of the group that did not wish to leave, but naturally, seeing how Lee Dojin had brought back the head of that invincible knight, they dared not utter such thoughts. Lee Dojin answered her. "The longer we stayed, the less the chance of us actually leaving the dungeon." He opened the Main Quest. "You read the system message too, right? Our job isn''t to simply survive, we have to find and kill the dungeon boss too. We can''t do that if we remained in that cafe." "I thought the knight was the boss," Jyejin asked. Lee Dojin shook his head. "No, the knight was also only a monster. But it was no ordinary one." He recalled the ck aura oozing out of that thing. That kind of miasma could mean only one thing, he recalled. "Sometimes, for guides to properly control the flow of the dungeon, they ce these unbeatable obstacles to stop the yers from moving too fast. They will have a ck-ish glow surrounding them. Those monsters are meant to be impossible to beat, and will only attack if you go somewhere not designed for you." If he had to guess, the knight was probably ced there so the guide could have more time preparing MyeongDong as a dungeon. After all, she had to go to many other hotspots, and exin the exact same rules. Thus, she offered a 6-hour safe zone and that knight so the people would not act before she set everything up. "But you have killed that knight," Park Wonho said while smiling wryly. The young girl held his hands. "What does that say about you.. ." "Well, I got lucky, I suppose." Lee Dojin sighed. He seemed to be in a bad mood, and not only because of the Mirages'' arrival. He looked at the ceiling and thought about the knight. ... "I''d like to try the Arts I haven''t used yet, so do not die too fast, alright?" Lee Dojin cracked his neck. The knight lifted its long ax (Its de still red from the blood of its victims) and mmed it on the ground, leaving a big crater. Though its face was obscured and it did not speak, Lee Dojin understood perfectly well that they were about to battle. The knight rushed forward, with a speed unbing of its size. The ground underneath him was crushed by his feet. Taking its battleax, the knight swung it from its left, destroying a bar counter and shattering the bottles on it, ss and liquid spraying everywhere. Lee Dojin remained still, unbothered by the giant threat of death looming over him. The ax brandished by that powerful knight cut through the wind, creating a breeze on its own. Anything close was swept away as it reached for the boy. "Do not be so impatient." Lee Dojin lifted his hand, and his neck was about to be cleaved through, he caught the ax by the de andpletely stopped it from moving. The leftover wind blew out, rustling Lee Dojin''s clothes and disheveling his hair. However, he himself was unhurt. The knight, though unable to show its facial expression, still appeared surprised. It hadn''t expected toe to such deadlock. Even as it tried pulling its weapon back, it remained stuck in Lee Dojin''s hand, not budging an inch. [Devas'' Dance] Ever since his transmigration, Lee Dojin managed to do superhuman feats even though he had neither Affinity nor artifact to support him. He imed it to be martial arts, but he had never given a proper name. Well, without a doubt, he had always referred to the art called, Devas Dance. [Rank: Tier S The user, through innumerable fights and battles, has merged every single fighting skill they ever learned together into one, reaching the pinnacle of martial arts and bing an unstoppable war machine. Through continuous cultivation, you will unlock more levels and gain stronger abilities. Twenty-four impure tattvas (1/24). 1. vyu (air) The user has yet to unlock the Seven Pure-Impure Tattvas (0/7). The user has yet to unlock the Five Pure Tattvas(0/5).] Of course, even in this life, Lee Dojin still possessed this art. After all, it was created by him and he remembered everything about it. Every movement that came from him was a form of this martial art. Though what saddened him was that he had to start from scratch this time. "Well, the first five levels, the Five Great Elements, are just body strengthening abilities anyway." The de crumbled in Lee Dojins'' Hand. He sent a left jab, breaking the knights'' armor, and caving in its chest. No blood flew out though, and Lee Dojin came to realize that this thing too was simply a doll. The knight moved its head and punched out. Now, without the ax, he had turned even faster. It appeared to have infinite stamina and felt no pain, as even with a crater in its chest, it moved just as efficiently. Lee Dojin watched the knight move. His irises split in two. [Voidless Eyes Rank: Tier A By activating this skill, the user will gain another set of eyes, within eyes. Through them, you will be able to see the future trajectory of everything moving within your line of sight." Current prediction length: 1/3 a second. As proficiency with this technique grows, the length will be longer.] He saw two images ovepping, one being the normal one, and the otherin a bit of a greenish tintthe future that was about toe. Though at this low level, they looked practically the same, for he could only see what was beyond a few milliseconds. "Well, it should level up if I use it more." This ability was granted to Lee Dojin by inheritance. He didn''t really like this art and hadn''t used it that much, even in his past life, as it was hard to use and confusing to look at, but from all the other skills he had, this one chose to stick with him. Lee Dojin, through seeing the future, smoothly dodged the knights'' attack. Growing frustrated, the night screamed loudly. Without a doubt, that action would have terrified any other human being, but for Lee Dojin, who was used to bloodlust, this barely fazed him. In fact, he knew exactly how to counter-act it. [The Man who Stands Alone Rank: Tier A For every being you killed, this skill will mimic their presence, and upon the activation of it, they all shall appear behind the user as hazy silhouettes, creating the illusion of all the past enemies being your army. The number of beings currently within your possession: 2] This art was a skill sorely for creating bloodlust. There are many different ways of expressing killing intent, and naturally, some will be better than others. As the best way to fight against an enemy''s bloodlust was by sending out your own and overwhelming it, Lee Dojin also sought a suitable art for him to create bloodlust. This ability was ingrained into his very soul when he first obtained it, so he was not that surprised to see this again. Lee Dojin activated his ability, The Man who stands alone. Immediately, red glowing eyes (4 to be exact) seemed to have appeared, only for the knight to see. It stopped moving as if petrified, and its killing intent was drowned out. The eyes of the great shadow from the Hidden Quest loomed over it. "Well, this is still practically useless," Lee Dojin smiled wryly. "I suppose I''ve never really killed that much ever since reincarnating here, well, putting aside insects and bacteria that is. They don''t count, sadly." He clicked his tongue. The knight came attacking him again, it did not stay dazed for long as in the end it was only an emotionless doll. Even though Lee Dojin kept dodging its attacks and then hitting back, destroying it more and more, it did not give up. "This is boring," he voiced out after a few more minutes. "Let us end this charade." His face turned dark, as he crossed his arms into an ''X''. The temperature around him rapidly rose. "Day of Judgement, First Trumpet: Scorched Earth." [Seven Trumpets Rank: Tier S] Well, this one needed no exining. ... The group arrived at the bottom floor. There were no dolls here, yet they could not be happy. Instead, they gulped, their faces full of fear. The ce looked as if it had been ransacked by a natural catastrophe. The ground and the left wall were charred ck, while everywhere seemed to be big craters. In the middle, there was a broken doll, d in armor, who appeared to have melted. Nobody could imagine what exactly went down here, and that brought them, endless terror. They nced at the fearsome youth, vowing to never anger him. Lee Dojin rubbed his temples. He was annoyed because the knight was too easy to beat, giving him no real chance to really test his old arts. Chapter 88: Two Worlds Chapter 88: Two Worlds For some people that have not seen the knight, they may have underestimated its strength. How bad could it be if that young boy could beat it in 5 minutes? Maybe he was simply bluffing. But seeing the aftermath of this ce, there was no one who''d dare question Lee Dojin anymore. Hwa Endo gulped, then cautiously walked through the floor. As they had expected, there were no dolls here. But with everything that was going on, they didn''t wish to risk it. Not many people used their skills, as for one they did not know what this unknown power was and how to control it, but even more so because the whole idea of supernatural powers in a civilized society was too surreal to handle. Lee Dojin, in the meantime, read through his Arts. Though they were at quite the low degree currently, he had no worries of their strength rising with time. After all,pared to Skills that dealt with hidden missions and upgrading stones, these arts were a lot more straightforward to level up. However, he knew that most of them, he''d not use often enough to master. The reason for that was because skills,pared to arts, would always be a lot better. None of these arts, no matter how good, won''tpare to anything gained through the Affinity, which was specifically designed only for the owner to use. An Art, you''d have to learn and use traditionally. Though the system noted them down in the status window, their activation and effects were entirely dependent on you. For example, the Seven Trumpets, Scorched Earth, required Lee Dojin to cross his arms in a prayer, then boil his blood to a degree that heats even his surroundings. It worked, because God had deemed it so, and thus, everyone that could follow its specific steps (and had a fitting constitution), could technically call upon the Days of Judgement too. But they could also always fail, as not even the creator of an Art could always promise the same results. Inparison, the skills granted by the System only needed you to think or chant them out, and its effect will activate, the attributes of the ability always identical, no matter what. If learning an Art was like working daily to remember a topic, then learning a skill akin to having it downloaded directly into your brain. There was no need to memorize anything, you were already a master. As such, even though Lee Dojin knew so many arts, he still decided to get an Affinity, as they were universally stronger and more efficient. Hwa Endo arrived at the door to the outside. Kang Soomin and Zhen Yunhe stood right behind her, weapons in their hands. She grabbed the knob and shyly opened the door, letting a bit of sunshine peek through. The outside was oddly silent, all three of them realized. There was neither the sound of a bustling tourist spot nor endless screaming of people running away from grotesque dolls, as they had expected. The other survivors waited with bated breaths. Hwa Endo resolved herself by shaking her head and swung the door open. [Congrattions, you have left the confines of the Cafe.] A slight breeze, followed by bright light engulfed Endo, causing her to back off for a second. And when she reopened her eyes, the woman''s mouth came ajar, as she could not believe what she was saying. Kang Soomin, peeking over her shoulder, and she gasped audibly, her irises shaking. One by one, the survivors gathered, and they could not believe what met their eyes, the makeshift weapons in their hands falling to the ground. MyeongDong, as a district in the modern metropolis of Seoul, was a technologically advanced ce with many shing lights, streetmps, wide streets, and cement houses. Upon your arrival, whether by foot a train, you''d be greeted by a wave of people, trying to get in or out. There''d be a streetfood stand trying to sell you delicious food, a small kid with a 10 feet ice cream, and posters of idols and celebrities promoting the newest skincare fad. So why did it now feel like they had jumped into a macabre renaissance painting? The malls that used to sell various products had turned into European baroque houses, full of theatrical effects, with windows tinted out and various segments missing. The billboards showed famous celebrities dressed in medieval outfits drinking from teacups over brunch. Soft orchestral music yed from the stores, instead of the usual pop and hip hop. There were still various Korean signs, some buildings that stayed the same, and the long roads indicating that this indeed was MyeongDong, it had just been fused with what looked like a 16th century France or Germany. And there was not a single human to be found. ".. .What the hell is this?" Hwa Endo shuddered. She rubbed her whole face, disbelieving what she was seeing. "What?" She turned around, and her brows shot up again. The cafe that they hade from looked identical to these cheap dollhouses found in the kids'' section of the mart. Kang Soomin fell to the ground, her knees scraping on the hard floor. She held her cheeks and shouted out loud. Kim Jyejin walked outside. She nced at the unmanned vendors by the streets. They had the same appearance as a horse-drawn carriage. The smell of cookies and fresh-baked bread wafted out from them. "Is this even real anymore?" No one could answer the question. They could not, as they asked the exact same question in their minds. Only Lee Dojin remained calm. He had seen this scene too many times to be surprised. This was what the Mirage referred to as the merging of worlds. In the future, with the appearance of even more dungeons, there''d be a lot more scenes, much more bizarre than these. No, he was actually thankful for what he saw, as it seemed that at least the physics of Earth stayed the same. If it was another world with much different physiology, things would have gotten a lot moreplicated. "Well, it is only a rank D dungeon after all." Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. Truthfully speaking, he did not know much about the World of Dolls, or what happened in MyeongDong in particr. After all, his very first dungeon was not here. He only chose this ce this time as he believed there''d be the most people that need saving. As such, he had just about the same info as anyone else. "However, there were some rules that always stay the same." The young girl appeared next to him, she grabbed his leg, while still holding Park Wonho. Lee Dojin ced his hand on her head without saying anything. It calmed her down a bit. Park Hansoo only remained rooted to the ground, unable to process what was happening. The small hope of a normal world he had held on to had been ruthlessly shattered. by this confounding sight. "Everybody, to the left," a man yelled loudly, catching everybody''s attention. And it was a good thing he did so, as, from one of the malls, a horde of dolls walked out, rushing at the survivors. The group quickly grabbed whatever they had and prepared for a fight. They were approximately 30 people, while the dolls outnumbered them, with a total number of around 50. They stood tight-knit in a group without a real strategy as they pushed into each other. "Hey, stop shoving me!" "Why do I have to stand at the front?" Faced with such an overwhelming number, even if these dolls were just weak scraps, the people got intimidated. That was to be expected. They weren''t soldiers after all. No, some of them probably hadn''t ever gotten in a fight before. And this wasn''t the small cafe anymore where they could freely gang up against the dolls. The dolls rushed from all the sides, biting into the people at the front. Blood sttered everywhere, with various screams resounding throughout. Everyone swung without real purpose, sometimes even hitting a human instead of a doll. Kim Jyejin ducked, almost getting hit by a pole. "Watch out," she screamed. Right after, someone pushed her from the left, making her fall. If Lee Dojin wasn''t quick enough to help her out, she may have gotten trampled. Park Hansoo was one of these people swinging with closed eyes. He didn''t care what he hit, as long as the dolls couldn''t bite a chunk off of him. Wonho grabbed the child and quickly hid in the back. He ran through any doll that came close to him. It was interesting to see such a big man nimbly dodging any iing attack. However, with every move, his shoulder ached in pain. Dong Jowoon fought his way through the survivors, arriving at Lee Dojin with a tear-stained face. "Pl, please save me! Dojin," he yelled, and grabbed his leg, "I beg you, I don''t want to die!" Soon, the first few people in the front fell, some through the continuous onught of these lifeless puppets, others by the idental sabotage from the humans. Either way, the dolls would lunge at them, and press them to the ground, and eating them alive. They, in turn, just like with the corpses in the cafe, would turn into dolls themselves. Slowly, the numbers of humans dwindled while those of the dolls rose. And then, a few people started defecting, running away, and abandoning the group. If there was one surprising positive, it was Zheng Yunhe. He, while protecting his wife, moved swiftly and destroyed the dolls with the leg of a chair. He had a kitchen knife first, but a blunt weapon worked a lot better against these monsters. In-Su, the former barista, fell to the ground. He shuddered, while three dolls jumped on him with open mouths. However, as he already prepared his life goodbye, Lee Dojin phased in front of him, throwing out three small jabs and breaking three faces each. He looked at the remaining survivors and shouted, "You have to use your skills from your Affinity to beat them!" Chapter 89: The Point to Everything Chapter 89: The Point to Everything "Our abilities?" Hwa Endo looked at the screaming Lee Dojin. She then faced the numerous dolls, now d in blood again. She grit her teeth. "Fuck, I don''t have any other choice, do I? Snowbreeze," she yelled, her cheeks red. Even with all this going on, it was a bit embarrassing having to shout the attack name, like a middle-school boy with a dream. However, there was no one who mocked her, as they a dozen crystalized snowkes flying towards a doll and evicerating it. Zheng Yunhe exhaled audibly. Heughed in disbelief. "You''ve got to be kidding me." What had be of this world? If he was still in the military, fighting against people like her, he would not havested long enough to retire. "Step back, dear," he told his wife, as a two dolls appeared in front of him. His arm glowed a pale yellow, and he chopped down on their necks, perfectly cutting it in half. Lee Dojin watched those two move. He breathed out. "That''s more like it," he muttered. Obviously, the fights from now on would be designed with their abilities in mind. If they did not use them, then every battle would be an unesary harsh one. He paid his attention away from the survivors, looking at his own group. Park Wonho stopped moving. He nced around, seeing people one after another use some weird supernatural power. He cocked his head away. Though he knew survival was slim without these, how could he just use some unkown strength granted by presumably someone that wanted him dead? Even if he survived here, what would be of him afterward? What if he were to turn into a monster, just like these dolls? The young girl saw Park Wonho hesitating. She hade to the conclusion that this guy, even though he was so big, appeared to be stuck within his thoughts quite often. She tugged at his trousers, trying to get him moving, but Wonho did not budge. She started pouting, then faced the dolls herself. "Ah, wait, don''t walk of alone," Wonho shouted, snapping out his daze. The young girl did not listen, as she stomped forward. She lifted both her hands and closed her eyes. "Mom, pleasee help me." Park Wonho, who was about to pull her back, as he looked up, and saw that around the girl, an unfamiliar woman materialzed in front of her. The woman was big in size. She wore a white mask, and had long ck hair that draped over her whole body. In her hands, their were two long swords each, and with her dimensions these des had the same length of an average human male. Wonho stopped in his steps, blindsided by the new monstrosity that had apepared. He watched as that woman swung its sword, hacking through each and every doll, protecting the little girl. "So the first one to use their ability was the young girl, that is unexpected." Lee Dojin showed up right behind Wonho, scaring him to death. "What an interesting ability she has, though. It''s rare to see a summoning type. I wonder what her Affinity is. Ghost? Demon? Or maybe Mother?" If he guessed correctly, her Affinity, as it gained more skills and grew stronger, would actually aide the creature she summoned, not her. He remembered, within the people who survived until thest 100, there was his friend, Li Wanfei, who also had a summoning Affinity, and her first ever skill called forth an ancient battle-ax, and every skill that came simply upgraded that ax. She had to boost herself with the Arts, and oftenined about that fact. That young girl appeared to have a simr principleif she really had a summoning-type Affinity, of course. "Uh, Dojin," Wonho voiced out. Lee Dojin looked at him with a carefree smile. "So, when will you activate yours?" Wonho squinted his eyes. With Dojin urging him, and even a little girl outdoing him, it did not seem like he had a real choice. "Fine, I''ll activate it" he said with a sigh. Promptly, a metallic sheen seemed to have enveloped his body, making it as hard as steel. He bulldozed through the dolls, their jsaws breaking on his body, leaving not even a scratch. "Oh, Shield? Metal? No, maybe Mountain? Tank could be possible too, seeing his size." Lee Dojin rubbed his chin. "It''s hard to say, since so many Affinities have simr powers. But the skill is definitely Physical Strengthening." He shrugged his shoulders. It did suit that Wonho though, he thought. With this, he did not have to fear being hurt that easily. Well, it wasn''t like he was easy to be hurt in the first ce; It was more of a confidence issue for that guy, Lee Dojin deduced. Hansoo, the rich kid, stopped wildly swinging his bat. No, he let his weapons fall to the ground, as he activated his skill, "Grab!" And he moved fast, almost like a sh, as he caught a doll by its head and ripped it clean off. ".. .That guys'' Affinity is definitely Greed." Lee Dojin nodded by himself. A few dolls appeared next to him, and he beat them without even looking. "What aplicated choice," he talked to himself again. Park Hansoo had a skill that belonged in a Series. These types of Affinities were special, as when they worked together with people from the same series, their skills would actually synergise, allowing attacks several times stronger than usual. He remembered this Affinity as it was part of the Seven Sins Series, and would alter be well-known across the world. Pride (S), Wrath (A), Envy (B), Greed(C), Gluttony (D), Sloth, (E), Lust (F). Those were the seven Affinities rted to the Seven Sins. In theter times, when Guilds would start existing, the Seven Sins guild would be known as one of the strongest, with only people part of the series being members. He himself did not remember what would happen if they all came together though. At the beginning, Lee Dojin had stated there existed only ranks as low as E. That was because an F rank did not actually inherit any skills. They existed only as a filler for a Series, and the bearer of that Affinity could only exert strength when together with their Series. Though if they ever gathered the whole series together, they''d gain powers even somewhat exceeding the S-rank. "Life will either be really harsh, or a smooth sailing, depending on what he chooses to be in the future," Lee Dojin said, as he watched Park Hansoo blissfully killing the dolls. It seems the boy in question hadn''t realized the predicaemnt he put himself in. "Well, putting aside that PE teacher, there''s still one left." The barista, In-Su, grabbed a the leg of a chair, dropped by Zheng Yunhe, and turned it into a katana in his hand. He swung down on a doll, cutting through half of its head, as it fell to the ground. ted, he threw his hands in the air, as he finally was able to fight back. "Watch out, dumbass," a feminine voice shouted behind him, and as he turned around, he saw a doll, with its jaw unhinged, infintely close to his face. It fell down, lifelessly, beaten by Kim Jyejin. "Honestly you guys, don''t get distracted just because you''ve beaten one or two monsters." Kim Jyejin had her hands in her pocket with an irritated expreession. Surrounding her there was neither doll or human. Everyone held a few meters distance from her, and that was because below her feet, there was a dark mysterious force, swinging whip-like objects (they moved too fast to tell what exactly they were) around, eviscerating anything remotely close-by. Lee Dojins brows shot up. "Another interesting one. I can''t tell what Affinity and skill it is at all." He nodded in satisfaction. It was good he let them fight on their own. He had hoped they''d gain some experience from this, or at least not fear using their skills. "The dolls are retreating," Zheng Yunhe shouted, and everyone cheered loudly. There were only a dozen left. They stood no chance after the survivors started using their abilities. Lee Dojin shed to the front. It was time to end this. Through the help of Devas Dance and Cosmic Steps, he shed through the dolls andpletely massacred them one-sidedly. The survivors only watched in awe, as the things they had such a hard time with, didn''t even make Lee Dojin break a sweat. After thest doll had perished, the survivors fell to the ground, their knees buckling. Every single one of them breathed heavily. "We are alive.. ." Someone muttered. Though he could not be happy. With the people that had died and even more so that defected, they were now only 12 peoplesuch a small number, it was countable with a single nce. They all held a somber mood. Even with their survival, looking at the state of MyeongDong, the world appeared bleak. It felt like they were fighting against a hopeless oue. The atmosphere weighted heavily on them. "Is there a point to all this," In-Su threw his weapon to the ground. He curled up, tears silently flowing out his eyes. Kang Soomin patted his back. She held no words of constion. No, her face looked just as bitter. They did not ask for this, yet they were here. It did not seem like they could leave anytime soon, and their objective seemed night impossible. Even if they ever escaped the dungeon, could they ever re-adapt to the other world. Hansoo gasped heavily, as he held rested on his knees. Sweat dropped down his chin, and his eyes had lost its light. His thoughts were a mystery. "Damn it," Yunhe stomped on one of the dead dolls. "What boss? Do they think our life is worth nothing? We don''t even know what the boss looks like. Fuck! Fuck!" Suddenly, another mall rumbled. They all looked into that direction, a cruel premonition welluing up from deep inside their hearts, as despair scooted closer. ".. .Not again." The survivors faces turned nk as a sheet, as one doll after another came out. No one took a weapon. They could not do this anymore. Out of the blue, Lee Dojin phased in front of the dolls, destroying each and everyone of them, shocking everybody greatly. The dolls didn''t even have enough time to walk out, as they were broken by his fists. He turned around, looking at the grief-stricken group. "There is. A point to all this. The point is to live. It is to survive. To live. To see the other day, no matter how harsh it may be." He grinned, his canines showing. "Even before the guide came, we lived our life, not knowing its meaning. Yet, we continue striding, as that is what makes us human. We need no Mirage or Guide to show us how to live. Because unlike everyone else believes, we are not weak." He clenched his fists and turned around, stepping into the barque building. "Humanity will always hold the will to walk forward, even if without hopeas this is what binds our existence. For this belief, I stake my everything on it." Now, the only one that had not used their new skill was him. [Novas'' End] "I wanna see, how will you keep sending the dolls if I destroy the factory?" Lee Dojinughed loudly, and the doors closed behind him. Chapter 90: A Ball? More Like a Tree Chapter 90: A Ball? More Like a Tree [The Warrior has sessfully entered a mini-dungeon.] [A Medieval Fantasy A knight falls, and another one takes their ce. But a magician only exists once, their death a whole tragedy for the nation. Themoners weep, the nobilities mourn, and the king is distraught. Never again, shall such tragedy ur, the army exists for them. Quest type: Mini. Difficulty: E. Size: Quacking Duck Mall. Clear Conditions: Defeat the Boss. Time Limit: 7 days] Lee Dojin took a small guess that these malls that had turned into these European-style buildings were a factory of some sort for dolls. A monster spawn-point so to say. He only hoped that these things didn''te from the dead humans that resided in MyeongDong. "But seriously," he rubbed his head. "What a messed up Dungeon for a first-timer. That Guide seems to have some personal vendetta with humanity." It wouldn''t be weird to say that this might be the hardest dungeon in the world right now. No, if there really was a harder one than that, the humans inside had no chance of survival, to put it lightly. The inside of the building was dark and humid. It was hard to see further than 20 feet, as all the lights had been turned off, reced by traditional torches. However, at the least, the insides still resembled a mall, though it appeared overgrown, with vines and trees, and looted, as the windows were broken and doors unhinged. "Usually," Lee Dojin talked to himself, "there will be some kind of hint within these ces to help aide thepletion of the Main Quest. But, oh well, we still have time left." [00:06:17:14:46_33] At the front of him, there were a couple of dolls, just mindlessly wandering about, not having noticed Lee Dojin yet. The whole ce was infested with these puppets, as they hid within various stores, behind clothing, in the food hall, and also within the toilets. But for now, the few five in front of him should be enough of a test. He lifted his finger, and summoned, "Nova''s End." And a sudden invisible pressure enveloped him, that seemed to twist the space and air itself. Lee Dojin was so surprised that he swiftly guided his hand away, fearing it would swallow him whole. Above his finger, there floated a ck ball, the size of a golf ball. It was pitch ck, with no reflection, as if it absorbed even the light itself. If one paid great attention to it, just like Lee Dojin right now did, then they''d realize it pulsated ever so slightly, akin to a heartbeat. ".. .What in Gods name is this?" Lee Dojin breathed out. His hand shook. It was hard to describe what he was feeling, but within his own ability there exuded danger and safety at the same time. As if being saved by a stray lion, where you''d never know if it would just turn around and rip you apart next. The dolls cocked their heads, all at the same time. They too felt the presence exuded by Lee Dojin. But for the first time, they did not move. "Are they shivering," Lee Dojin asked in bewilderment. "Even beings without consciousness are terrified of the power this ck ball brings? Unbelievable." Goosebumps ran down his whole body. Nova''s End simply remained still on his index finger, jet-ck sparks asionally ying out. Lee Dojin contemted shelving this skill for a few seconds, but then would theree a better time than this to test its might? He guided his finger down, and the ball flew straight towards one of the dolls. The doll lifted its hands and cried out, as the ball passed through the things'' two arms and head without any resistance, leaving a gaping hole. The other dolls moved too, their steps ttering, but unexpectedly, they tried running away. Without Lee Dojin''s guidance, the ball advanced on its own drawing innumerable parabs and destroying all the dolls within seconds. Everything that moved, it swallowed, with its movement, it shaved away whatever was in its pathmetal, stone, ss, and even air disappeared upon the touch of that ck ball. "This is utter insanity," Lee Dojin muttered. He stared at the ck ball hovering in mid-air, standing above the broken dolls full of holes. That thing was destruction incarnate, way too dangerous. Especially when it moved by itself, this wasn''t an ability that could be used with friends by his side. Suddenly, every single shop rattled, with dozens of dollsing out of each. They had all been attracted by the bizarre noise and came out to see what was going on. Hundreds, no, it was thousands, left their abode to approach Dojin. From behind, there appeared to be a few knightsing out too, except their weapons, they looked just like the ones that had made the lives of the people in the cafe hell. "Shit," he said wryly and backed away. He hadn''t expected the dolls to scream for theirrades, and even then, that they would alle out at the same time. It almost seemed like a dungeon break. He turned around. The door was bolted shut, indicating that he could not leave unlesspleting the quest. Lee Dojin breathed out and calmed himself down. This was quite the predicament he found himself in, he thought. Will he make it out alive? No, he had to, no matter what. he ced his arms in a cross. Suddenly, without any warnings, every single doll stopped moving. Lee Dojin also let his arms slowly fall. Every single eye was upon the ck ball that pulsated quietly. The thing had started bubbling without anyone noticing. "Wait, had theye out because of Nova''s End?" Lee Dojin realized something. The reason for all these dolls to step out, was it because they felt a threat to their very existence? What urred next, confirmed all his suspicions as true, and even showed him something he would never had dared imagine in his wildest dreams. The ck ball burst out into innumerable ck branches, their ends sharp. From these branches, even more branches spurted out, birthing even more branches, until they were too many to count. Every single one cleanly pierced the dolls through their heads, leaving a fist-sized whole. Thousands of dolls all fell to the ground. It didn''t matter whether they wore helmets like the knights, or hid behind walls, the ball pierced through any obstacle as if they weren''t there. ".. ." Lee Dojin did not even breathe. He gulped, as just right in front of him, there was a branch, only a few centimeters away from piercing through his head. It had stopped because the limit of its expansion had been reached. If not, the boy would have beenying next to these dolls. His eyes slowly moved up, looking at what used to be the ck ball. His ability had spread out so far, calling it a tree was a lot more apt. A tree of which its fruit were the lifeless corpses of the dolls. The branches receded quickly, and the ball disappeared, leaving only the aftermath of destruction and Lee Dojin. [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill has leveled up!] [A skill of yours has reached level 10. Would you like it to undergo a small revolution now orter? The upgrade will take 1 hour.] "I mean, what am I supposed to answer here?" ... Lee Dojin walked to the top of the mall. There, he saw a big doll, twice the size of him, dressed in purple robes and a long staff, exuding great bloodthirst. However, it was already dead. It had a great hole in its chest, the biggest one of all, he found. This was the mini-dungeon boss, the magician. The message saying he had cleared the dungeon and the open doors confirmed it. He had alsopleted another legacy, though he did not pay them any heed, as its rewards came only at the end of the whole dungeon. Lee Dojin only came here for one reason. He scoured through the top floor, not minding the dead dolls. After a few minutes of searching, he found a small chest (around the size of a fist), hidden underneath a pile of clothes. His eyes sparkled. "Great, there really was one." Opening it, he found a gleaming diamond. [Water Bead. Rarity: D Do not worry about dehydration anymore! Put this item into your mouth and it will produce water for you to drink.] "Well, it''s not bad," he thought and stashed it in his pocket, forgetting about it. The real reason why he came here wasn''t for the diamond, but the chest. [Water Chest. Rarity: E Holds things.] A smile escaped him. What a great find, he thought to himself. Excitement welled up once more. This item held a hidden secret, which will be integral to thepletion of this dungeon and Lee Dojin''s goals. A cheeky trick, ced by the system, that not even the guide knew about. "Fire, Air, and Earth. Three more, and I can put an end to this dungeon," he muttered. 7 days? There was no need to wait this long. If possible, he wanted to end everything in three days. The boy took everything valuable with him and bit the magician farewell. Walking through the door, he was greeted by the survivors'' incredulous stares. They couldn''t believe that he had made it out alive. Even Jyejin thought he had waltzed into a suicide mission, but evidently, he had a lot more secrets than she had guessed. Lee Dojin rubbed his stomach. "Is anyone else hungry," he asked them. Chapter 91: Survive Chapter 91: Survive The stomach of the other survivors growled. Kim Jyejin looked at the sky. Come to think of it, when they arrived at the cafe, it had still been the morning. Now, the sun had already started descending over them. Within all the tumult, they had forgotten the feeling of hunger and thirst. "I could eat something too," she said. The group nodded one after another. Well, even if they weren''t hungry now, they''d be soon after, while continuing doing such strenuous activities. Hwa Endo walked forward, she proposed, "Maybe we should look for some food? There are so many restaurants and malls around here after all." Lee Dojin phased in front of her, startling the woman greatly. "I agree," he said, "but I think it may not be as easy as you imagine." "Uh, what do you mean," Endo asked back. She didn''t dare to look him straight in the eye, as for some reason she thought that he''d hurt her. "Look around you. The scenery is all different. The malls have turned into doll spawn points, and the restaurants have disappeared or been destroyed." He stretched his hands out, showing off the new MyeongDong. "This isn''t the wilderness where you can just find food either, you know?" "But still," Endo said, "I''m sure, within this big ce, there has to be something, right?" "Maybe," Lee Dojin answered. But every single spot was intricately designed by the system, from even the way it ced an ear of sand corn. He feared that if the system really wanted to hide the food, it could do so without any worries. After all, the dungeons'' environment favored the monsters more, and there was no need for dolls to eat. Even if they bit into the humans, they''d spit it right out again. Of course, that would only be the worst of the worst, thus he kept it to himself. The group started marching in silence. They didn''t have any idea where to go. The thoughts about the future, such as the next 6 days, the boss they needed to beat, the world outside.. . they had no idea. One step at a time, that was all their minds could fathom; and in between, they prayed dearly for no more dolls to appear. Lee Dojin had no such worries, as he knew what had be of the world outside. By now, at least a thousand dungeons had spawned, all with their own unique story. They''d rank around E and D, though if unlucky enough, a lower C would not be out of the question. For the people outside, they''d see an opaque dome, reaching through the clouds and beyond, obscuring anything inside. Panic, terror, and disbelief would overwhelm their minds as almost nobody understood where they came from. The news would hold emergency briefings, though they all said different things. The only thing to remain true was, under no circumstance shall a citizen approach these domes. School and work abruptly stopped in Korea, even for those who did not worry about the Birth of Light. The domes would be within their line of sight, as there existed no human structure as magnificent as that. They''d call their loved onesfriends and familyand either sigh and relief or wallow in despair. Though, no matter their feelings, they could notpare to the people surviving inside the dungeon. "Wait, we can just take something from these food stalls," In-Su said, his voice jovial. Kang Soomins brows furrowed. "You want us to eat these dirtden pigs'' food? Do you know how unhygienic these things are? You might just die from food poisoning before anything else." "But.. ." In-Su''s shoulders drooped down. ".. ." Soomin sighed. "I jest. This is hardly a time to be picky." His eyes brightened from these words. The survivors all followed him as they approached the stalls. "Jackpot," someone shouted, as he rummaged through the back. "I''ve found bread." "There''s cupcakes here! Also, we have some chocte." "There''s milk in mine," someone else yelled. They were all happily surprised. In-Su, proud of his findings, bit into one of the cakes he found. Though it was hardly a bnced meal, he felt famished enough to eat anything. However, his eyes opened wide, and he immediately spit everything out. "Why the hell is this so bitter?" "Way too salty," another guy shouted, as he retched. "It''s like biting into the ocean. Urgh." Zheng Yunhe took a sip of his milk. His face scrunched together. "This one tastes bitter and sour." Hwa Endo rubbed her head. Lee Dojin''s words surfaced quietly in her mind, but she did not want to will it as true, thus she shelved them away. "It''s fine, I am sure we can find something as we keep wandering." She looked around. The streets looked so deste with not a single person around. But at the very least, they hadn''t spotted any dolls yet. The girl next to Park Wonho held her belly. "I''m hungry," she said in a quiet voice. Wonho looked at her and smiled wryly. "I''m sure we will find something soon." Though he said so, his stomach too had formed a knot. He usually ate twice as much as anyone else, so the hunger pangs hit him just as hard. Lee Dojin bit his nail. This didn''t look good. Ever since he had gotten the Water Bead from the dungeon, he thought this didn''t look good. The only reason for such an item to appear in a harsh mini-dungeon was because the system deemed it as valuable. So water was a valuable resource? The group wandered around, sometimes meeting a few stray dolls, but they weren''t much of a challenge after everyone had activated their abilities. Yet, what brought the heavy atmosphere upon them was that no matter what ce they went, the group could not find any food. The malls were a no-enter zone, as they did not want to be massacred by a horde of zombie-dolls (and Lee Dojin already confirmed there not to be any food), the restaurants and foodstalls only sold disgusting pastries, and even the cafe from where they came from had changed into a stic dollhouse. As they stumbled into the first restaurant, they were happy to see real food at first, but as they touched it, they realized it tasted just like the bread and pastries outside. The same went for convenience stores and any other small snacks. Zheng Yunhe fell to his knees. Dusk had already hit, with the sky turning an orange glow, and the sun slowly hiding behind the horizon. "I can''t do this anymore." Park Hansoo nodded wholeheartedly. This was torture, a type different from the onught of dolls, but just as vicious. "Never in my life had I been so hungry," he said. He felt as if he had lost a few pounds already. And what was even worse, his mouth was slowly turning dry. Wonho didn''t even voice his thoughts. All his attention was on his stomach. Thankfully, they had a few water bottles left (carried in the backpack of another guy), but that was slowly running dry too. Kim Jyejin nced at Lee Dojin. She saw sweat slowly drip down his chin. So he too could show exhaustion, she thought to herself. But that was natural, Lee Dojin also was human. She swallowed any words ofining she had and continued walking. Hwa Endo breathed heavily. They have been walking and fighting without any break now, and roamed through quite a lot of streets. In the first ce, MyeongDong wasn''t that big. If it weren''t for the asional dolls and detours from the malls, they''d have circled around the district 3 times already. "Fuck it, let''s stop," Zheng Yunhe spat out. "This is pointless. We are wasting all our energy." No one really disagreed, but they could not quite agree either. "What about food then? Where will we find food?" "Rx, will you," Yunhe said. "One day of not eating won''t kill you. It''s just your brain that makes your stomach hurt, it will disappear soon. What you need to worry about more is water, but we can solve this whole stuff another time." Kang Soomin shook her head. "No way! How can I sleep with an empty stomach? The pain would keep me awake all night." "Then do you wish to walk through the night and fight against these dolls in the dark?" Zheng Yunhe gave her a cold stare. Soomin could not answer. "That''s what I thought." "I think we should find a resting spot first," Hwa Endo ultimately decided. "At least a ce where we can be safe from dolls. I''ve been looking the whole time already, and I think I found a suitable ce. It''s a convenience store with only one entry. It isn''t linked to any mall and still looks rtively the same." Well, it wasn''t like anyone else found a better ce yet. The survivors gathered at the convenience store. It was just as Hwa Endo said, a small ce, unbound from any other buildings, looking almost solitary. As they entered, a quiet jingle yed, and the cold breeze from air conditioning wafted upon them. There was no edible food here either. The few instant snacks were all a sensory overload, their taste bizarre and disgusting. It wasn''t physically possible to eat this, and by now, the group did not even try. The first night came to a close. The survivors went to sleep,ying on the ground in a random convenience store, their stomachs empty of food and water. Lee Dojin would asionally wake up alone, thinking about many things, and making sure no dolls approached them. Chapter 92: Provisional Crate Chapter 92: Provisional Crate Sorry for the inconvenience. If the previous chapter is not loading, please head to this discord link I have it uploaded there: https://discord.gg/bcFY3X7J The group all woke up in the morning, with the rise of the sun, realizing that everything that urred yesterday had been the reality. The dolls that hade attacking them, the many people dying, the dome-covered world, andstly, the disgusting hunger they felt after everything was done. "We are about to run out of water," another man spoke. He threw an empty bottle to the ground. "What are we gonna do as this keeps up?" Waking up in the morning, their throats were especially parched, thus their reserves practically reduced to nothing as they woke up. For a few seconds, they even felt thankful for the defectors, as there were fewer mouths to feed, but that thought was quickly shaken away. Zheng Yunhe sat on the ground, his back against the wall. His wife rested on his shoulder while hugging him quietly. "What do you want to do? It''s not like we can just magically make food appear." The man clicked his tongue. "As pessimistic as always, I see. I wonder how you made friends in the real world." "What, you wanna square off," Yunhe raised his brows. Hwa Endo stepped in. "Everyone, please calm down. I think we are all stressed here. Let''s not break into a fight, alright? We need to cooperate to survive." "You''re right, I apologize," the man backed off. He eyed Zheng Yunhe too. The Chinese man shook his head. "Fine, I am sorry too. It''s just how I was raised, to stay realistic." Endo sighed in relief. She was d that they didn''t start to quarrel. This would have been thest straw that broke the camel''s back. And they still had around 6 days left to survive, let alone fight against whatever boss there was. With a smile, she took a seat on the ground. "I am Hwa Endo," she said, confusing everyone with her introduction. "Since we are stuck together for a while, we should all learn about each other, don''t you guys think? Like, what are your hobbies? What do you like and dislike? What about your passions?" She suddenly paused. "Of course, you are not forced to participate or say anything you''d like to keep hidden. I don''t have any ulterior motive at all, I swear." The man that was close to fighting Zheng Yunhe rubbed his head. "As I mentioned in the cafe, I am Lin Daeshim. But I suppose it would not be weird if some people have forgotten already. I work in ounting." "Oh," Kang Soomin voiced her surprise. "We are in the same sector then," sheughed. "What ce do you work at?" Lin Daeshim scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "I am actually only an intern, but I work at Goonwha Technologies Inc. I was lucky enough to get a spot there since an alumnus put in a good word." "That''s a good ce," she nodded. "You will get far if you stay in that ce. You just gotta pat your career well and listen to your direct superior." Her tone, out of the blue, turned somber. "OF course, if we all survive, that is." Lee Dojin gave the group a quick. He sat by the open window, the air washing over him as he observed the outside of any threats. At the very least, the dungeon allowed them to sleep somewhat well. He was thankful for that, not just for him, but also for Kim Jyejin and the other survivors. "We will," a younger girl said. She seemed a little younger than even Jyejin. "We have to. I still haven''t apologized to my mother. I told her I would be going to school, but then I goofed off and went to a cafe. I am sure she is incredibly worried right now." In-Su agreed. "I hope so. My parents are waiting for me too." He shook his head, determined. "Also, after we made it, I really want to take a good shower. My head is full of grease." "I want to eat BudaeJjigae (Korean Army Stew)," the girl said and dreamed off, her mouth dripping saliva. "Ah, uhm," she quickly snapped out of it, as she realized this was hardly the time to talk about anything food-rted. "My names'' Ah Baram. I am currently in thest year of middle school." She bowed down. "Nice to meet all of you." "I remember your name," In-Su said, as he recalled all the introductions in the cafe. "But once more, I am Ji In-Su. I am currently studying Creative Arts at Yonsei University." "What a great uni for a useless degree," Lin Daeshim voiced out. "Haha, I hear that a lot," the ex-barista said coyly. While everyone was talking, the young girl approached Lee Dojin who was outside their conversations. She pulled at his shirt. "I am Gu Hana." "Oh, nice to meet ya'' Hana." He ruffled her hair. "I am Lee Dojin." "I know." She held her head and nodded. "Oppa, will we be able to make it out of here alive," she asked in a low voice. Lee Dojin smiled, there seemed to be no worry in his mind. "Without a doubt, we will." The questiony only in how many would survive. But a dungeon break would never ur, as long as he was here. "I am thirsty," Gu Hanained. "I have some candy if you want. It should help fight off your thirst for a while. But promise me, no matter what, do not swallow it, okay?" He took out the water bead in his pocket and gave it to the young girl. Gu Hanas'' eyes sparkled, seeing the beautiful blue gem. She ced it in her mouth, and immediately, water gushed out, washing over the great thirst she felt. Her cheeks bloated and her eyes widened, as she held her lips tightly to not let any water out. Lee Dojinughed seeing that girl''s funny expression. It was augh that rinsed him of the darkness and burdens surrounding him, lightening even his shoulders. Even though he may not realize it, the boy had needed a goodugh. [Provision packages are being dropped off. They willnd in approximately 5 minutes. Asking the Warrior to prepare.] [00:00:00:04:54_31] The sudden message caught everyone off guard, stopping the lighthearted chatter abruptly. Without waiting for anyone to react, Lee Dojin ran out of the store, with Jyejin and Hansoo following right after. They all looked into the sky. Continuous fireworks kept ringing out, exploding high up and creating a mirage of colors. There was a small rainbow atop a few ces, with balloons rising into the air. It was practically begging to be found. The group came out one after another. Suspicion rose to the max. Yunhe said sarcastically, "You don''t need me to tell you how weird this looks like, right?" "Yes, but we hardly have a choice, do we," Lee Dojin was the first to say. The other survivors were surprised as he never took the initiative unless it was at the very end. The boy licked his teeth. It wasn''t only because he was hungry though. This was a new scenario, guaranteed to grant them info for the Main Quest. Hwa Endo smiled dryly. "Shall we go then?" The boy was right? There really was no other choice, given the hunger status of everyone involved. It wasn''t hard to find the supposed provision packages, as they had been practically underlined in a bold red, but as they arrived they still gasped in shock. On the lonely road, there was a horse-drawn carriage, with real people (not dolls) seemingly guarding the crate in the middle. They wore normal modern-day clothing and had make-up andbed hair, indicating they weren''t part of the dungeon. Were they survivors?" "There''s someone there," Wonho shouted. His shout caught the attention of those new people. They turned around and shouted, "Halt! You are amidst her Majesty''s grace. I advise you to bow!" The group tilted their heads as they walked closer. What was that way of speech? Hwa Endo came closer. "Wait, we aren''t hostile. You guys are survivors dragged into this apocalypse, are you not?" She had an ted face. They weren''t the only ones after all. "We guys are just like you! dragged in by that weird guide. Have you alsoe for the food?" "Lady I do not know of which you speak of," a person said and shoved her away. "This crate is specially provided for Her Majesty''s festival. Do not act up, or will have to force you to understand." ".. .What the hell is going on?" Hwa Endo backed off. "Why are you guys talking like this? Aren''t you also guys from MyeongDong, caught within this dungeon?" "Dungeon? MyeongDong? Have you eaten a bad mushroom," the people around the carriageughed loudly. "This is the Doll Kingdom, and you are in the Puppet capital for the festival. We are the majestys'' honored knights. That is all." A shiver ran down Hwa Endos'' spine. For some reason, these people had grown increasingly creepy as they spoke. She was unsure of what to say as their conversation seemed to pass by each other. Lee Dojin stepped forward instead of her. "I think it''s a mind-control sort of thing. I can''t be sure though." "Mind-control?" Endo stared at him with disbelief, but then she gasped, seemingly realizing something. "Wait, the guide, Latania. What was she called again? The Possessed? Did it have something to do with that?" The boy nodded gravely. "It is possible that all these people here are those that have roamed the streets in MyeongDong and disappeared." Chapter 93: Sleeping Tiger Chapter 93: Sleeping Tiger "Are you serious? You mean, like, real people?" Hwa Endo couldn''t believe what that young man was saying. Well, not because of the existence of brainwashing (she believed that very well, with all the fantastical things that happened), but rather.. . wasn''t it unfair? After all, these people were humans just like them. They joined MyeongDong without any prior knowledge of what would happen. The Guide Latania had talked about how this was supposed to be a fair game, yet these guys weren''t given a chance at all. How cruel, she thought. Lee Dojin waved his hands across their faces, but they showed little reaction. It was as if they were NPC''s awaiting some kind of cue. A little uncanny, to be honest. His thoughts resembled those of Hwa Endo. He couldn''t imagine the Guide turning all these people into brainwashed puppets without giving them a chance, no matter how malicious she was to the human race. Lee Dojin had mentioned it once, but the system was fair. Harsh, but fair. The Mirage too wished for humanity to grow stronger, thus it would not be beneficial at all to destroy their minds without a chance. Was there something else to this dungeon that he had yet to see? Either way, the rxing mood from before had soured quickly. Kim Jyejin walked forward, her face full of concern. The survivors all watched her, anxious yet curious at the same time. Not letting their gazes affect her, she shook the shoulders of one of these brainwashed people. "Hey, what''s wrong with you! Wake up!" Park Hansoo jumped forward. "Jyejin, what are you, crazy? Don''t be so violent," he told her, rmed. The person grabbed by Jyejin appeared to be confused as well, their face full of question marks. However, seeing the situation, these questions quickly turned into exmations. "Are you defying her royal majesties orders?" The other brainwashed people surrounding the crate quickly turned vignt. Though they had no weapons, they readied themselves to battles as if they were fully armed. It was a sight to behold. "Men, do not falter. Thesemoners are nothingpared to the knights in the city." "We shall ask you one more time. I understand those who are uneducated hold little knowledge about what is right and wrong, but I will not allow any further transgressions," one of the men said with a stern face. "You are to be obedient upon the gaze of her majesty''s g! Even an infant knows that, as their cries quiver under the royal ones'' grace." A vein appeared upon Kim Jyejins forehead. Her brows furrowed harshly. "Majesty this, Majesty that, this isn''t a fucking LARP session. I''ll take you seriously when you talk to me as real people, not manipted puppets." "These people are brainwashed," Park Hansoo said in an it-can''t-be-helped voice, "They can''t help it." "I can see that Hansoo, I''m not an idiot," she spat out, her face dark. "Shit, not just corpse dolls and magic, now there''s even mind control. There''s nothing worse than that," Jyejin said and squinted her eyes. "I''d rather die than live a life like theirs. A brain in confinement.. . what a gut-punch to those who seek freedom." The person next to the crate perked up. "Youngdy, I have warned you countlessly, step back. You have overused my patience. Do not me me for the consequences." "Huh?" Kim Jyejin looked at that person, and she saw a fist fly her way. She flinched by closing her eyes, as the girl was unprepared for the sudden strike. However, the fist never reached her, even after a few seconds. As she reopened her eyes, she saw a young man stand before her. He looked at Jyejin and said with a wry smile, "I don''t think this is the time for you to preach your morality." He had caught the fist with his hand, and the other person could not budge at all, even though he appeared almost twice the size as him. "Could just be my opinion though," he said apologetically. Lee Dojins'' eyes opened slightly. "Hoh," he said, observing the new person. Well, he wasn''t that new, as the guy had been there since surviving the cafe (he had even introduced himself), but his presence was so low, no one could actually remember him. He had ck haira bob-cut that covered half his eyesand wore a white shirt with blue pants. He appeared young, a little naive with his small face, though it would appear this assessment was a mistaken one. Zheng Yunhe appeared a little more surprised. Just like Lee Dojin, he hadn''t paid too much attention to thatnky boy. However, seeing how fast he moved, he imagined that this boy may actually be trained in some martial arts; it was hard to tell with only this little, but these reflexes hardly seemed like a fluke. Could he perhaps be another anomaly just like that Lee Dojin? The young man blushed as everybody stared at him. He quickly let go and brushed his bangs down. "Pl-Please don''t look at me, this is embarrassing!" "Or maybe not," Zheng Yunhe muttered with a sigh. The brainwashed guards all looked at each other, unsure what to do. They spoke with a stern, but caring voice, "Look, we do not wish to harm the citizens of this kingdom. We apologize for being too rash, but you have to understand, this is provision for her majesty. There''s wild game all around here, I am sure you can hunt some by yourself." One of the guards threw them a stick. "Take my longsword, and get some food with this. At the worst, sell it if you require food." The survivors all looked at each other. What were they supposed to make of this? Hwa Endo scratched her head and sighed up the sky. ".. .They don''t seem like bad people," she said with aplicated expression. "What shall we do?" Lee Dojin rubbed his head. "At the very least, we need to avoid a fight. These people don''t know what they are saying. They are human just like us." Kang Soomin walked forward. "I get that we shouldn''t attack these guys as they are only victims, but how are we supposed to eat? We are having a hard time too." Zheng Yunhe shook his head. "It''s only been one day. Your body will get used to it soon, and your stomach won''t even hurt. Don''t be so dramatic." "But we need energyeven more than normalto fend off against all these monsters. What will you make of that," she asked exasperated. It wasn''t a full-out fight, they were simply discussing, but the dilemma was hard to break. Suddenly, as if to put this unending discourse to a stop, a new voice appeared, "Oh, it looks like some people came before us," and following right behind, a new group of people (around 20) appeared, each with a weapon in their hands. The survivors in Lee Dojins'' group immediately perked up. Right now, any new stranger would activate their flight-or-fight response. Not only were they a bigger size, but most of them also looked like able-bodied men, while they were a random assortment of humans. "There''s quite a lot of people here already," the forefront person said. He had ck hair slicked back, his face of Asian ethnicity, and a burning cigarette in his mouth. He blew out a small ring of ck smoke. "Are you guys also survivors of this terror show?" Hwa Endo took the responsibility to talk. "Wait, you guys, could it be you fought against these dolls too?" The guy scoffed. "Fight? We got massacred by them. Especially that fucking knight, if he didn''t leave after the safe zone was gone, I wouldn''t be here," he spat on the ground, "But it seems we aren''t the only group that survived." Lee Dojin quickly concluded that just like them, the guide Latania had gone to other hotspots and created small scenarios simr to that in the cafe. These guys must have been the survivors in the same position as them. It was hardly aplex guess to make. Out of the blue, Park Wonho stepped forward. He still hed the child by her hand. "No way, is that you, Sleeping Tiger of Incheon, Won Jaemin?" "You''re fucking with me." The smoking guys'' eyes opened as he saw the big guy. His cigarette dropped to the ground. "Wonho, the Destruction of Gangnam? No way dude, what the hell are you doing here?" His eyes lit up upon seeing a familiar name. Every person except for those two had a question mark on their face. Kim Jyejin couldn''t help ask. "What''s with these cringy titles." Park Wonho cupped his face in shame. "He''s one of the delinquents in a famous gang from Incheon. I used to be involved with them when I was younger." "Involved? What are you talking about, you fucked us up," Won Jaeminughed. "Dude you were like a bulldozer breaking through our doors. I think you broke like three bones of mine. What a good time." ".. .Is that so," Kim Jyejin gave him the side-eye. One of the brainwashed people walked forward. It was the one who had attacked Jyejin. He grabbed Won Jaemin by the shoulder. "Halt! You are in presence of her maje!" And before he could finish his sentence, one of Jaemins men slit the person''s throat, causing a flood of blood to cover everyone nearby. "Anyway, it''s good that see you, bro! No really, what a great find." Jaemin smiled, as the crimson flow covered his whole body. He paid no heed to the fresh corpse his partner created. "How about joining us? Fuck the gangs and the sleeping tiger bullshit. I have a new leader, born from the survivors of the bird bar we were in. That man''s the real deal. I ain''t the brightest bulb, but I know everything that happens in this dungeon will decide the next era of Seoul. You in?" Park Wonho''s eyes opened wide as his expression turned pale. "What did you just do?" He shook. "Do you have any idea at all?" Won Jaemins expression darkened. "What''s wrong? It''s just some blood. We used to go much harder in the golden days. Don''t tell me you turned into a pussy." He clicked his tongue, seeing Park Wonho''s terrified face. "Well, we have no need for you then." He turned to his men. "This must be the provisional crate they spoke about! Pack it up." Wonhos'' irises fluttered. He did not fear a person dying. No, before New Year, he hadn''t feared anything at all. For him to gulp like this, there was only one reason. "Hey, you realize, you have just killed a human, right," Lee Dojin grabbed Won Jaemins shoulder. "Hah? So what? You gonna preach at me?" The man turned around with a mocking jeer and threw out a fist and hit Dojins'' face. Park Wonho averted his sight. He shuddered as he knew that terror itself came only from standing against that man. And evidently, he was displeased. Lee Dojin had an icy-cold face, as Jaemins knuckles broke on his hard skull. He asked calmly, "So, sleeping tiger, Shall I take this as a deration of war?" Chapter 94: Lightning Group Chapter 94: Lightning Group "Argh!" The sleeping tiger, Won Jaemin, screamed out in pain. His knuckles quickly swelled as he violently shook his hand. "That fucking hurt!" He cringed as he closed his hand. What was that guys'' skull made of? He''d rather have punched a steel wall if he knew how tough that guy was. One of the other guys screamed, "Watch out everybody, he might have a hardening Affinity or whatever!" He appeared to be around the age of 30, wearing a loosely fitting shirt and some suite pants. Everybody heeded his call. "That makes sense," the muttered while nodding. For them too, it hadn''t been that long since Affinities existed. Now that they thought about it, it wasn''t hard to image someone else possessing titles too. The Guide Latania had said so after allthis was a game. At the meantime, the brainwashed citizens of this dungeon were at a state of shock. They ran to the new corpse which was once theirrade (at least so they were made to believe). "Peter, wake up!" They could not believe these hooligans would ever attack them, let alone kill someone. "Your wife is waiting at home, do not fail us," someone said, while tears flowed down her eyes. Won Jaemin cackled as he stared at the guards. "The taste of death is simply too delicious." He wiped his mouth. "I love this dungeon! Here, I can finally do whatever I want, without any dumbasses deciding what is right or wrong. So many people have died already, what difference does one more make?" Park Wonho shook his head in disbelief. "You are insane." "From my perspective, you are the insane one. Aren''t we all humans in pursuit of freedom? Stretching the limits of what is allowed? Come on? Don''t pretend like you don''t know what I am talking about." Won Jaemin cracked his neck. His face turned from excited to cold. "Whatever. So you wish to dere war? Did I hear that correctly? Are you out of your mind?" His cold gaze was directed at Lee Dojin. Lee Dojin, on the other hand, did not pay much attention to him. He nced at Kim Jyejin and Park Wonho, to see their reaction. Freedom. For those two, this word held a heavy meaning, if he remembered correctly. For Jyejin, who had been birthed in a life that had beenid out for her, possessing everything she could ever wish for, yet held nothing on her own, she craved freedom as an alleviation for boredom. For Park Wonho, a person deemed ordinary just like Kim Heeson, freedom came from choice. A choice to decide his own life, not integral to what society and school deemed him to be. He craved to be free, so much so, that it turned into desperationfor anxiety is the fear of choices. .. .At least that was what Lee Dojin gathered from them. It was of bad taste to analyze friends orrades after all, so he paid it little thought. But for the word ''freedom'' he always held an open mind. There was no one who wished to roam as free as him, in the end. "I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even I know your words are just a load of bull." Lee Dojin swept his hair back. It had grown longer over the month, and would cover his eyes if he left them as bangs. "What you are pursuing is not freedom. It''s just a sadistic tendency, guised in something pseudo-philosophical nonsense. You have no idea what true freedom entails, don''t you?" The survivors on Lee Dojins'' side listened patiently. For some, his words may have resonated more than the otehres. Won Jaemin''s smile remained enigmatic. "The one to decide what is right is left to the victor, no?" He turned around. "Well, forget about the food. There''s a lot more ces that had fireworks." The young man faced his men. "But you have heard them. War, it is. I am sure the leader will be excited. They have made their deration, so shall we prepare for ours?" The people on Jaemin''s side scoffed in ridicule. There was nothing stopping them from killing Lee Dojins group here, they thought, but since Won Jaemin told them to walk, then so be it. The bird bar they came from used to be a hotspot for many different gangs. They''de to gather information, scam a sucker, or just simply y around. To put it simply, the people there were a different breed. A den of ruffians. The only thing the missed was unitywhich hade after the birth of this dungeon. A strong, invincible leader that did not fear anything. They worried about beating the dungeon boss, but their leader had reassured them that it would be fine. And they thought so too, if that guy could not do it, who could? A measly war like this wasn''t worth their time, they thought. "Hold up, who said you could leave?" Jaemin turned around and grabbed Dojin by the neck, and squeezed it. "With one call, 30 of my guys wille here and fuck you up." The guy ced his finger against Lee Dojin''s head. "Let''s do it, let''s go to war. Just you wait, I''ll being for you soon." "Shut up." With the back of his hand, Lee Dojin pped Won Jaemin to the ground. To that guy, this attack came out of nowhere (too fast to react), and he had no way of defending himself. His cheek caved in, and he was forced to the ground due to the incredible impact. "What''s the meaning of this," He shouted, his face red due to his wrath. "You motherfucker, how dare you?" All the men that were close to walking away quickly returned. "Don''t tell me you forgot?" Lee Dojin knelt down and raised his eyebrows. His eyes were full of distain. "You just killed a human being. Do you think you are free of consequences? Well, you are wrong." His face turned dark. "I am your consequence." "Who the fuck even are you? Do you know that you are going against the whole Lightning group? This won''t end well for you!" Lee Dojin chuckled. "Lightning group? Is that your name? How cute." He kicked Won Jaemin in the face, blood spurting out his mouth. "Let''s go then. Your little group or mine, who will turn out victorious and leave the dungeon alive?" "Get him," one of Jaemins men shouted. He punched out, but Lee Dojin dodged easily. The other guys attacked him one after another, but no matter how many came, their punches could not touch him. "Use your Affinities!" "You''re fucked now," Jaemin said and stood up. He was rather resilient, as he remained standing after being hit twice. "You shouldn''t have picked a fight against us." Lee Dojin phased forward, standing right in front of Jaemin, surprising the observers quickly. "Do not misunderstand. This is not a fight," he said. "This is punishment." He tightly clenched his fist, enough for veins to appear. This time, holding nothing back, his knuckles mmed into Jaemins left side. A loud, incredibly dull yet sound echoed throughout the street. The sleeping tiger, Jaemin, fell to the ground so hard, he bounced up again. He felt as if his brain had shattered. His vision was hazy from that one single punch. Two teeth fell out of his mouth, and blood spurted out his right eye. The wind was knocked out his lungs and he immediately felt breathless as his ribs shattered. ".. ." The people that were about to activate their skills were stunned mute by this raw disy of violence. Lee Dojin spoke calmly, the light in his irises serene. "You guys must really think I am a pushover, huh? These days, everyone wants to act up, thinking I am weak." He hit Won Jaemins stomach. "Say, do I really look so merciful to you?" He pinned Jaemin to the ground and punched him once more. The floor underneath cracked. "Don''t you get it? I am not a hero. You think killing people is tough? There''s nothing tough about swinging a knife or pulling a trigger. Surviving is what''s hard. And you scum dares treat life like a game?" His face rained down on that poor guy''s body (however, never hitting any vital spots) until even his knuckles turned red. "If you like the taste of death so much, then eat up. After all, food is scarce here." Zheng Yunhe gulped, watching the disy. "I have seen many things in my life.. . but this is merciless." Though he wished to avert his eyes from that morbid disy, he could not. "He''s not even moving anymore." Won Jaemins group shook. They all held various weapons but did not dare take them out. The reason for that was, whenever they met Lee Dojin''s eyes, they''d lose the will to resist, and upon imagining themselves as Won Jaemin, they''d rather be killed by the dolls. Park Wonho shuddered, remembering how he had been sent to the hospital by him. Lee Dojin, he was a monster. Lee Dojinughed. His canines peeked out his mouth. A stray blood drop hit his cheek. "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you saying anything?" Right now, he looked just like a wild beast, his intent to kill wafting mindlessly and enveloping everyone. ".. .That''s enough," Ji-ah said and patted him on the shoulder. She had aplicated expression as she shook her head. Lee Dojin''s fist stopped moving. He stood up. A puddle of blood had dyed his clothes. He clicked his tongue, staring at Won Jaemin who had fallen unconscious long ago. He rubbed his temples. ".. .Humanity is really hard to save, huh?" Chapter 95: Survivors =/= Group Chapter 95: Survivors =/= Group Lee Dojin stood up again. He stared at his fist. His brows furrowed. "Fuck, it really is hard to y the good guys, huh?" The boy turned around, his sight filled with the pale-faced survivors. What was he supposed to say here? His mind nked for any excuse. Maybe because he did not really want to excuse himself. This was the world he lived in the past decade. The world of the Mirage. Kill, and be prepared to get killed. The strong created the rules; justice is defined by the victors. No, even before the Mirage began, he had lived this way. Still, this was hardly an excuse for what he did. Sure, in reality, he didn''t have to exin himself, and no one here was strong enough to question his choices so he had naught to care about it, but that was not a world he wished to live in. His mother had brought him back to defeat the Mirage and create an entirely new world. At the very least, he did not wish for society to crumble like the old Earth. In the end, for humanity to survive, he had to get along with people, even if it may inconvenience him. Though it may be mildly annoying, the need for collectivism outweighed whatever he could gain from walking alone. In the past life, he had learned that far toote. ".. .Man, this is awkward," Lee Dojin spat out and scratched his head. The other members of the Lightning group looked at each other, unsure what to do. Won Jaemin was one of the guys that brought them together after all. Even without his aplishments in the dungeon, his name was well-known throughout the streets here. However, whenever their gaze fell upon Lee Dojin, they did not dare move a single inch. It was as if they were stuck in a cage with a savage lion. The guys feared that a single move might leave them beaten in a pulp like Jaemin. Also, Park Wonho.. . was also someone not to be underestimated. Kim Jyejin carefully approached Lee Dojin. "What were you thinking," she said, her voice slightly angry, yet also worried. She grabbed his hand. "Are you hurt anywhere?" "I''m not. This isn''t my blood," Lee Dojin replied. He then shook his hand, to get rid of the red. "Hey, watch out where you are flinging that stuff," Jyejin shouted and stepped back. A few droplets still ended up on her shirt. "Ah, sorry." "Whatever." Her eyes wandered down to Won Jaemin. She quivered. "You know, was that really necessary? He may be scum on earth, but he was also human. You said you hated people that that needlessly harmed others, but aren''t you the same right now?" "Jyejin, as right as you may be, you might want to keep your moral values to yourself within a dungeon." Lee Dojin sighed. He grabbed the bruised Won Jaemin by his neck and threw him to the Lightning group. "Take him and get out of my sight." Won Jaemins goon quickly stepped forward and carefully helped him up, putting each of his arms on another person''s shoulder. They scrambled for anything they had lost, feeling humiliation to their bones. A single boy had scared them away. What a joke. But this was the dungeon world. They learned a valuable lesson today: it didn''t matter if you were a woman or a kid anymore. With the right Affinities, even a god could be in. Won Jaemin had to find out the hard way. One of the guys turned around, eyeing Lee Dojin with a frosted expression. He didn''t seem mad or scared. "You guys win this encounter. But mark my words, the Lightning group will not forget this." The people walked away, leaving no further words. As long as they had their leader, all was well. "If you want to we can fight i ah well, nevermind." Lee Dojin swallowed his words. His hotheadedness almost got to him again. He breathed out, not chasing after the Lightning group, leaving only the survivors of the cafe and the brainwashed lot (plus the blood stter of Won Jaemin). "You have caused quite the ruckus. Enough for everyone to be scared of you." Kim Jyejin shook her head. "You do not seem particrly fazed," Lee Dojin rebutted. "And after everything we''ve been through, everyone should be hardened enough, right?" His gaze fell upon the shuddering onlookers. "Maybe not." Park Wonho started speaking, his mouth quivering a little. "You, do you know what you have just done? That was Won Jaemin. I know, to you, he may just be another weakling, but his strength doesn''te from fist you know?" He paused, randomly staring at the Hansoo. "Seoul is full of gangs, because, unlike the Yakuza or Triads, we don''t have any grand organized-syndicates. But that''s why they are much more rash and aggressive as they have nothing to lose. Jaemin, he''s the leader of one with around 150 members, discounting his connections with the actual mafia." The bartender, In-Su, gulped, hearing what Wonho said. Even Zheng Yunhe''s brows furrowed. he wasn''t on the field anymore, he had a wife to protect. If what that big guy said was true, then Lee Dojin''s brows raised during that long exposition. "There seems to be a greater crime problem here than I thought." Heughed. "Oi. This isn''t a joking matter!" Park Wonhos'' unexpected shout quietened everyone once more. "You''re right," Lee Dojin said, after a quick pause. "With how everything''s going, we pretty much have a big target on our back for no reason. The things Won Jaemin said.. . he probably wasn''t bluffing. Today, though they had already been more numerous than us, seemed to have been only a scouting group. Who knows how many people really are here." He sighed. "Including the danger of this dungeon, also fighting the Lightning group might be an unnecessary danger, pushing us past the tipping point." The survivors turned paler with every more second recounted by him. Dong Jowoonoh, he was still alivestepped forward. "Then what the hell do you want us to do? I already know that you are strong, and you probably don''t need to worry about this mindless stuff, but what about us? Are you really just throwing us under the bus, because you can?" He grit his teeth, particrly frustrated this time. "Sure, you don''t owe us anything, and some people will call me nosy, but still.. ." Lee Dojin let his PE teacher, Dong Jowoon, speak. Even though that man appeared to be terrified, he still voiced his thoughts, evidently passionate about this subject. It wasn''t hard for Dojin to deduce that this was a sore spot for that teacher. "I apologize," he said. And, out of the blue, ced his head down, in genuine reflection. None of the survivors expected this kind of scenario and were at first bewildered by what he said, then flustered. "Wait, you don''t really have to get down," Wonho said and waved his hands. He was struck speechless by that boy''s actions. Honestly, he was venting just to let off some steam andin about the whole situation. He hadn''t thought about the long-term effects (he thought he''d get hit); never in his wildest dreams did he expect that Lee Dojin actually apologized. For a second, Park Wonho even thought the guy may had reverted to him before the New Yearbut of course, that was impossible. "I suppose in your eyes, I am the viin," Lee Dojin spoke calmly. "I understand that." He walked towards the brainwashed people who had been petrified in fear the whole time. Lee Dojin ignored him and walked straight to the fresh corpse. It was an older man, with short hair and stubbles on his chin. His face still had the shocked expression, though it was now a lot paler. He wore a leather jacket and some worn-out jeans. The wallet in his pocket stuck out like a sore thumb. Inside, there was some cash, a few credit and coupon cards, and a photo of that man with a woman and a young boy, all smiling happily. It had a few creases but was unmistakenly well-cherished. The survivors winced a little, seeing that image. "But then I hope you too can understand, one day, it may be you or meying on this floor." he closed the eyes of the dead man. "I don''t know about you, but I''d hope that if such a thing were to ur, someone else was willing to fight for me and correct what is unmistakingly wrong. Even if I were no longer of this world." Without a doubt, everyone here had a story, benign or not. For one to die like this, so unnaturally, was unbing to witness as the Inheritor of the Universe, Xh''Endradas protigee. "I can''t stop the dungeon from iming lives, but that someone like Won Jaemin, an eyesore, is quick to remove. And one day, even the whole concept of the Mirage will stand underneath me." Lee Dojin clenched his fist. "So I apologize, for without a doubt, it is inevitable as long as I am around, the stters of my blood willnd on your clothes." The survivors shuddered at these words. They did not say anything. The fear and anger that was within them slowly washed away. For some reason, even though Lee Dojin''s idealistic dream should be no more than mindless babble, it resonated with him. "That is fine with me," someone said. Unexpectedly, it was Park Hansoo. He clicked his tongue. "But I will be the one stand a top, not you. In the first ce, if you hadn''t butted in, I''d have gotten that fucker first." Kang Soomin sighed with a wry smile. "What a drag. I am just an officedy, and this isn''t a highschool drama." She rubbed her eyes. "But okay, show me what you are made of. I''ll be in your care." In-Su nodded. Lin Daeshim shrugged. Zheng Yunheughed. "Youngsters these days. Did you prepare that speech? Whatever. Seeing the way these crates had beenid before us, strife was bound to happen sooner orter." Kim Jyejin looked at her shirt. "Blood stters, huh?" She shook her head. "Well, will the path you show us relieve the endless boredom? No looking at you, the answer is obvious." "It seems everyone has a simr opinion." Hwa Endo looked around. "Then, for a short while, shall we all work together?" The young child held Lee Dojin''s hand, while dragging Park Wonho along. The guy that saved Kim Jyejin peeked over their shoulders. In the future, the survivors would talk once more, referring to this moment, for it was the first time this random collection of people would work together, birthing the idea of a collective group. And what that meant for the world and the Mirage, no one, not even The Prophet Hassan, could have predicted. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!