《Corruption : The Error》


 "Error: Respawn Detected"

    Chapter 1: "Error: Respawn Detected"


    The summer sun blazed over Seoul, turning the air thick and suffocating. The streets buzzed with car''s honking, street vendors calling, pedestrians weaving through the endless crowd. But for Seojin, it was just another exhausting day.


    Sweat clung to his skin as he trudged home, his cheap sneakers slapping against the pavement. In his hand, a half-empty can of soda offered little relief from the heat. His apartment wasn''t far, but every step felt heavier than the last.


    Seojin wasn''t special. Just another face in the crowd. Another struggling university student from a lower-middle-class family,


    living in a cramped apartment with parents who worked themselves to the bone. No matter how hard he tried, the weight of his


    circumstances never budged. When he finally reached his building, he barely had the energy to climb the stairs. His apartment


    was small, old, and smelled faintly of dust.


    The moment he shut the door behind him, he collapsed onto the thin carpet, staring at the cracked ceiling.


    "Another day, another failure," he thought bitterly.


    The pressure to succeed, to be something more, had long since turned into suffocating


    hopelessness. His friends didn''t understand. His family barely noticed.


    Frustrated, Seojin reached for his laptop and booted up his favorite game. The loading screen flickered to life, and for a brief moment, the weight on his chest lifted. In the game world, things made sense. Progress was clear. Effort meant rewards.


    But just as he started playing, his throat dried. The summer heat was creeping back into his bones. He glanced at the empty soda can on his desk and groaned. He needed a drink. Dragging himself up, he stepped outside.


    The city''s energy hit him instantly-cars zooming past, pedestrians chatting, vendors shouting their deals. Seoul was alive, vibrant, indifferent. Seojin barely noticed. His mind was foggy with exhaustion, and he didn''t hear the truck barreling toward him from behind.


    A deafening screech. A roar of an engine. A blinding flash of white. Then-nothing.


    ----------------------------------------------------------


    He woke up on cold stone.


    His body ached. His breath came in short, panicked gasps. The air smelled ancient-dust, candle wax, something metallic. This wasn''t Seoul. Seojin pushed himself up, his palms pressing against the freezing floor. Towering tapestries lined the massive chamber, each depicting battles against monstrous creatures, warriors locked in combat, and shadowy figures lurking in theReading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    dark. A chill ran through his spine. His pulse pounded in his ears as he scanned the room.


    What is this place?


    Then-he saw him.


    A tall, imposing man stood at the far end of the room, draped in regal black. His hair was stark white, his blood-red eyes gleaming with amusement. Power radiated from him, suffocating the air itself.


    Seojin''s breath hitched. His instincts screamed at him to run.


    The man smirked. "Confused, human? How pathetic." His voice was deep, smooth-yet sharp enough to slice through bone.


    Seojin took a shaky step back. The figure moved.


    Faster than thought, faster than sight-he was already there. A hand clamped around Seojin''s throat, lifting him effortlessly. Air refused to enter his lungs.


    The man''s grin widened, revealing fangs. "Delicious."


    Terror surged through Seojin''s veins. He tried to fight, to kick, to claw, but the grip was unbreakable. His vision blurred. His body trembled.


    And then-


    With a brutal flick of his wrist, the vampire ripped through him. Agony exploded through Seojin''s being as his body split in two.


    Darkness swallowed everything.


    Then-a sound.


    A distorted buzz in the void.


    [Error: Respawn Detected]


    Pain vanished. Death unraveled.


    Seojin gasped, his vision snapping back into focus.


    He was no longer in that cursed hall. Instead, he lay on a patch of soft grass, the air fresh, the scent of earth grounding him. His body was bandaged, aching but intact. Around him, a small village bustled-simple cottages, villagers going about their lives, unaware of the horror he had just endured.


    Seojin''s heart hammered against his ribs. What... happened?


    Had he died? Was this a dream?


    Before he could process the insanity of it all, a glowing notification materialized in the corner of his vision-a hologram-like interface, hovering before his eyes.


    [Requirements met to inherit the powers of the Demon King.]


    Seojin froze.


    What.


    The Demon King?


    His mind reeled. That vampire-had he transferred his powers into him? But why?


    His hands trembled. His body felt the same... but something inside him had changed.


    Something dangerous.


    He swallowed hard, confusion and fear swirling inside him. But beneath it all, something else lurked- A foreign power pulsed beneath his skin, dark and unfamiliar.


    Then-


    [ERROR: UNREGISTERED ENTITY DETECTED]


    A sudden jolt of pain ripped through his skull. Seojin doubled over, clutching his head as a deafening alarm-like noise echoed inside his mind.


    > [WARNING: ANOMALY DETECTED]


    [Designation: ???]


    [Synchronization Halted¡ªUnknown Variable Present]


    [Emergency Protocols Engaged]


    His vision fractured.


    For a split second, he saw something else.


    A dark throne. Chains wrapped around an unseen figure. An eye, massive and ancient, snapping open in the abyss.


    Then¡ªhis own reflection, but wrong.


    His eyes weren''t brown anymore. They glowed¡ªa deep, pulsating crimson.


    > [Forceful Termination in 10¡­ 9¡­ 8¡­]


    Seojin''s breath hitched. Forceful termination?


    He didn''t know what was happening, but one thing was clear¡ªsomething was trying to erase him.


    > [Override Attempt Initiated¡­]


    [Entity: ??? Rejects Forced Deletion]


    [Processing¡­ Processing¡­ Processing¡­]


    The countdown stopped.


    A new notification flickered to life.


    > [SCENARIO CLEANERS DEPLOYED]


    [Threat Level: Low ¨C Target Elimination in Progress]


    Seojin barely had time to process the message when the air around him distorted.


    They appeared.


    Twisted, insect-like humanoids crawled out of thin air, their elongated limbs clicking against the ground. Their hollow, featureless faces twitched as they turned toward him. Their only purpose¡ªto erase anomalies.


    > [System Correction in Progress¡­ Eliminating Foreign Entity.]


    Seojin stumbled backward, his heart pounding. What the hell were these things?!


    One of them lunged.


    Move!


    Instinct took over. He grabbed a thick wooden stick lying beside him and swung with everything he had. The impact cracked against the creature''s exoskeleton, sending it skidding back¡ªbut it barely seemed fazed.


    The others rushed in.


    Seojin gritted his teeth. His head felt like it was splitting apart, his vision flashing with red warnings. His body screamed in pain, but he forced himself to fight.


    > [System Synchronization Delayed Due to External Interference.]


    What?!


    His powers¡ªwhatever they were¡ªweren''t activating.


    All he had was a wooden stick and a will to survive.


    One of the creatures swung its clawed arm. Seojin barely ducked in time, feeling the wind from the attack graze his cheek. His muscles burned. His headache intensified.


    He swung wildly, smashing the stick onto another creature''s head, shattering it. The monster collapsed, shrieking.


    But there were more.


    And he was losing strength.


    One of them leaped toward him, claws raised to tear him apart.


    > [Demonic Synchronization at 10%.]


    [Suppression Failing¡­]


    [Unsealing¡­]


    Seojin''s body convulsed. His vision blurred. A dark energy surged from within, wrapping around him like tendrils of shadow.


    The creatures froze.


    And in that moment, something inside Seojin awoke.

 The Price of Power

    Chapter 2 - The Price of Power


    The creatures froze.


    Their once relentless movements faltered as they trembled before him.


    Seojin barely understood why-until he saw his reflection in their glossy, insect-like eyes.


    One of his eyes was glowing.


    A deep, pulsating crimson.


    Something inside him stirred-an instinct, a command. He didn''t think. He moved.


    His hand lashed out, cutting through the air with unnatural speed. The creature before him had no time to react.


    CRACK!


    Its head separated from its body, rolling onto the dirt with a sickening thud.


    For a second, everything was silent.


    Then-agony.


    A sharp, unbearable pain ripped through his arm. His bones shattered on impact, the very force of his attack backfiring on his own body. Seojin staggered, clutching his broken limb as white-hot pain surged through his nerves.


    "Ahhh-!"


    His vision blurred. His legs buckled.


    The world around him spun as a wave of dizziness swallowed him whole.


    The remaining creatures moved in.


    Seojin saw them through his fading vision-three of them, creeping closer, sensing his weakness.


    But just as their claws reached for him


    Shouts.


    Flashes of steel.


    Figures rushed in, cutting down the creatures with swift, practiced movements.


    The last thing Seojin saw before the darkness took him was a girl''s voice calling out-


    "He''s still alive!"


    Night had fallen.


    When Seojin opened his eyes, he was met with the warm glow of a bonfire. The scent of roasting chicken and rich stew drifted through the air, making his stomach growl in protest.


    A soft chuckle broke the silence.


    "Poor guy looks like he''s really starving after that little monster hunt."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Seojin turned his head. Four strangers -two guys and two girls-sat around the fire. They were the ones who had saved him.


    One of the men, Ji-ho, smirked as he tore off a portion of the roasted chicken, placing it in a wooden bowl.


    He poured some stew from an old leather bottle, then turned to Seojin-only to pause.


    His broken arm.


    Ji-ho sighed, then glanced toward a shy-looking girl with long dark hair and soft brown eyes.


    "Aera, can you help him?"


    The girl hesitated for a moment before nodding. She took the bowl and carefully brought a spoonful of food to Seojin''s lips.


    He hesitated-but his hunger was stronger than his pride. He ate.


    The first bite was heaven. Juicy, smoky chicken mixed with the deep, rich flavor of stew. He barely noticed that he was eating from someone else''s hands-until he heard quiet laughter.


    Aera''s lips curled into a small smile. The others chuckled.


    Ji-ho grinned. "Guess that means you''re feeling better?"


    Seojin swallowed, his throat dry. Better? His body still ached, his arm was completely useless, and his mind was a mess.


    Before he could respond, Ji-ho''s expression turned serious.


    "What did you even do to attract the Scenario Cleaners?"


    His voice was calm, but there was a tension behind it-curiosity, fear, and caution all mixed into one.


    Seojin exhaled slowly, taking another spoonful of food before answering.


    "I don''t know," he admitted. "I''m just as confused as you. Yesterday, I was just an ordinary guy, then all of a sudden..."


    He stopped.


    Memories crashed into him all at once -the vampire, the suffocating power, the way his body was torn in half.


    His hands trembled. His breath hitched.


    The others noticed.


    Aera reached out instinctively. "Hey... it''s okay. Just breathe."


    Ji-ho wordlessly handed him a bottle of water. Seojin took it, forcing himself to calm down.


    Then-


    A notification flickered before his eyes.


    [Scenario Cleaners Defeated: 2]


    [Reward: 200 Coins]


    Seojin''s fingers clenched around the bottle.


    He wasn''t dreaming.


    This was real.


    For a moment, despite the pain wracking his body, Seojin felt good.


    The glowing text reminded him of the games he used to play-systems, rewards, level-ups. A part of him almost felt... excited.


    But reality hit him hard when another sharp pain pulsed through his broken arm, making him grit his teeth.


    If he didn''t do something about this injury, he''d be completely useless in another fight.


    With a deep breath, he focused on the idea of a shop. If this world followed game-like mechanics, there had to be some way to get healing items.


    A faint chime echoed in his mind, and a new interface appeared.


    [--SHOP--


    - Skills


    - Items


    - Consumables


    - Weaponry]


    Seojin quickly opened the Consumables category, his heart racing with hope.


    Potions, elixirs, herbal remedies-dozens of healing items filled the menu.


    His relief was short-lived.


    Every single item was ridiculously expensive. Even the cheapest minor healing potion cost 500 coins-more than double what he had.


    His expression darkened. The others noticed immediately.


    Chae-won, the other girl in the party, watched him carefully. Her sharp gaze flicked to his trembling hand and the way he struggled to even sit up.


    Without a word, she reached into her pouch and pulled out a small glass bottle filled with red liquid.


    She held it out to him.


    "Here, drink this."


    Seojin hesitated. He had no reason to trust her. But when he met Chae-won''s eyes, there was only calm reassurance in them.


    He grabbed the bottle and, with one last glance at her, downed the potion in a single gulp.


    A warm sensation spread through his body. The pain in his arm faded instantly, and a dull tingling traveled down his bones.


    Then-a snap.


    His broken arm fully healed.


    Seojin exhaled, his entire body relaxing as he let out a breathy, "Ohhh..."


    Chae-won smirked. "Better?"


    He nodded, still in slight disbelief. "Yeah... Thanks. I owe you one."


    She simply shrugged. "Just rest. It''ll help the healing settle in properly."


    As the others ate around the fire, Seojin reopened the shop, curiosity taking over again.


    This time, he checked the weaponry section. His mind flashed back to how he barely survived using just a wooden stick.


    [Filter: Affordable Items


    - Old Brass Sword (80 coins)


    - New Iron Sword (170 coins) (+ Small Leg Pocket)


    - Shining Steel Sword (300 coins) (+ Adventurer''s Bag) ]


    His eyes locked onto the second option.


    The Old Brass Sword was cheaper, but... would it even hold up in a real fight?


    The Shining Steel Sword was out of his budget entirely.


    The New Iron Sword seemed like the best choice-sturdy, reliable, and even came with a small leg pocket for carrying essentials.


    "Alright. This better be worth it."


    He selected the item, and in an instant, a weight appeared in his lap.


    A freshly crafted iron sword, its handle wrapped in worn leather. It was basic but reliable-a true beginner''s weapon.


    He gripped the hilt and felt its solid weight in his hands.


    Now he wasn''t defenseless.


    The Calm Before the Storm


    Aera, the shy girl from earlier, pulled out a light blanket and placed it near him.


    "You should sleep," she said softly.


    The others were already settling down for the night. Seojin nodded, pulling the blanket over himself as he leaned against the cave wall. His body was exhausted, but his mind kept racing. And questions filled his mind.


    -What was this world?


    -Why was the system trying to erase him?


    -And what the hell was he supposed to do next?


    Just as he closed his eyes-


    A new notification popped up.


    [SCENARIO CLEANERS DEPLOYED TO CLEAR THE ANOMALY] [NUMBER OF SCENARIO CLEANERS: 10]


    His blood ran cold.


    A low, guttural growl echoed from outside the cave.


    The others snapped awake, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.


    Then-something moved.


    A shadowy blur lunged from the darkness.


    The first Scenario Cleaner jumped straight into the cave.


    TO BE CONTINUED-