Screams rang out and spread.
In the underground parking lot consumed by shadows, the screams of the Oathbound and the sharp sounds of slicing did not cease.
The Oathbound tried to resist somehow, but—
"Krah… gah gah gah!"
"Where the hell is it?! It just pops out of nowhere!"
"Even with the lights on, I still can't see anything!"
Their resistance was meaningless.How could they resist when they couldn't even see the enemy?
The Oathbound turned on lights to secure visibility, but that didn't make the shadows filling the parking lot disappear.The raging storm of blood shredded both the Oathbound and the undead.
"Think, Kang Jung-in, think…."
Kang Jung-in desperately thought while fending off the incoming attacks.
Was this shadow a skill? Or the effect of an item?Either way, the scale was too massive.If it was a skill, the mana cost would be unsustainable, and if it was an item effect, the duration wouldn't be very long.Unless it was a mythic-grade item!
"Either way, if I just hold on, an opportunity will come."
That was Kang Jung-in's judgment.Now was the time to endure.He gathered the undead, raised countless bones to form a shield.It was all just to hold out.
Screams continued as the undead were destroyed one after another.
"Just a little more, just a little more…!"
When would this shadow finally disappear?Time felt like an eternity.As Kang Jung-in's will began to break under the strain of enduring, he realized—The surroundings had gone silent.And then—
Fwoooosh!
"The shadow's gone!""The enemy! Where is that damn bastard?!"
The shadow had cleared.The blood-soaked underground parking lot came into view.Corpses of countless undead and fallen Oathbound lay scattered everywhere.But no matter where they looked, the one who had caused all this carnage was nowhere to be seen.
After searching for a while, the remaining Oathbound finally understood.
"That son of a bitch…""Track his traces! Find out where he went!"
The enemy who had rampaged within the shadows was already gone.They tried to pursue him, but it was meaningless.Han Yu-seong had already been about to leave Yeoju City.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it… If only the Eye Lord was watching…!"
The color drained from Kang Jung-in's face.
They had failed the mission assigned by the Eye Lord of the Dead.Kang Jung-in, as an Oathbound, knew better than anyone just how severe the penalty for such failure could be.His body trembled.
"Mo… move! Everyone, spread out! Now! Unless you want to die!"
In the end, Kang Jung-in's final choice was a meaningless struggle.
Later
As expected—
"I-I'm sorry, Eye Lord… we… have failed."
Kang Jung-in's resistance had ended in utter failure.Han Yu-seong had already left Yeoju City.He had used the shadow of night both when entering and exiting the city, making pursuit impossible.
Even Kang Jung-in, who had desperately tried to track him down, had no choice but to give up.
"Please… if you would just grant us one more chance…I swear I'll go out right now and find out who that cursed bastard really is."
Kang Jung-in and the rest of the Oathbound bowed their heads and begged.But no response came.Only a dreadful silence hung in the air.
Tension weighed heavily on them.Sweat streamed down their faces.
["Do you think you were worth the chance you were given?"]
"…!"
A reply, at last.Cold, merciless words carved into the very air.
Kang Jung-in's body trembled uncontrollably.
["Even if I were to give you another chance... would you be able to seize it?"]
"W-We may have disappointed you, but just once more… please!"
["No. You are not worth giving another chance."]
"H-hck…! N-No…!"
Kang Jung-in felt something stirring deep inside him.It was the power once granted to him by the Eye Lord of the Dead.That power now moved violently—Once a gift that aided him, now...
"Ock—! Kugh! Ghhhk—!"
It was killing him.His body began to rot instantly.From his legs up to his waist, flesh decayed and fell apart in seconds.His once violently-beating heart stopped cold.Desperately, Kang Jung-in reached out a hand as if begging for mercy—But even that hand withered and rotted away.
"Uhh… ngh… ughhh…"
Kang Jung-in had been turned into an undead being in an instant.A Lich, as they are called.
The Oathbound who witnessed this horrifying scene felt as if they might faint.No—more accurately, they wished they could faint.What they had just seen was far too grotesque to endure in a sane state.
["Do not disappoint me, my little ones."]
"W-we are sorry, my Lord… We have no excuse."
["Forget the human who conquered the Reward Dungeon. You'll never find him now. He's... quite the meticulous one. Which is exactly why I'm curious about him…"]
The glowing letters in the air shimmered, as if stirred by interest.
["Just who could he have made a pact with? With that level of stealth, and the power to manipulate shadows… could it be the Eye Lord of Shadows?"]
"But the Lord of Shadows…"
["…does not take Oathbound. A ruler of an elite few, wasn't it? How pretentious."]
The Lord of Shadows only accepts truly exceptional individuals as Oathbound.So selective that the standards seem near impossible to meet—A sovereign who would never gather followers easily.Lately, there hadn't even been any new Oathbound under their name.
Could it really be that the Lord of Shadows had finally moved?
["If it truly is the Eye Lord of Shadows…"]
The floating script shimmered ominously—Cold enough to feel like it was slicing through the soul.
["…then a price must be paid. Be ready. If that time comes, you too will have a task beyond this place."]
"Y-yes! We will not disappoint you again!"
The Oathbound of the Dead prostrated themselves, faces pressed to the cold ground.The oppressive aura of their master slowly dissipated.Only then did they dare lift their heads—And look toward Kang Jung-in, now transformed into a Lich.
"Ughh…"
"L-let's go… The Lord will know what to do with Kang— I mean, the Lich…"
"Y-yeah…"
The Oathbound hurriedly left the scene.All that remained was Kang Jung-in, blankly staring into the void.Silence settled over the blood-soaked, corpse-littered underground parking lot.
Han Yuseong left Yeoju City immediately.Thanks to the cover of night, escaping wasn't difficult. With barely a trace left behind, there was no need to worry about pursuers.
"This place should be safe."
A quiet forest, far removed from Yeoju City.He planned to stay hidden here for a while.There was something he needed to take care of in this secluded place before returning to his apartment.As he set up his campsite, Han Yuseong clicked his tongue.
"It's a bit of a shame I couldn't get them all."[Did you really intend to take care of all of them?]
There were regrets.He hadn't been able to eliminate all of the Oathbearers of the Dead who had been in the underground parking lot.Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough time.Still, he had probably dealt with nearly half of them.
"Well, I did snatch up plenty of loot."
While taking down the Oathbearers, he'd gathered valuable items like wands and artifacts they had been carrying.Of course, selling them directly through the interdimensional auction house came with risks, but even offloading them as stolen goods would bring in a decent amount of money.
"I guess I should lay low and observe the situation for a few days."[What, starting to think you were too flashy yourself?]"I can't deny it."
Han Yuseong checked his smartphone.Displayed on the screen was a community forum used by Premier-class players.Various news articles and rumors were circulating there.
[Korean Premier Federation places bounty on 'mysterious Premier'.]
["If you have any information on the player who made the highest contribution during Night of the Hunt, report it to the Federation…"]
[Library of Knowledge closed! The Eye of Knowledge has gone into hiding, saying they're taking a break — even the Oathbearers are baffled by the sudden disappearance.]
[Revolution Guild launches assault on the reward dungeon!]
The hottest topic was Night of the Hunt.This was the first time Korea had cleared the Trial of the Gods with such a record. The results were overwhelming — unmatched by any other country.The problem was: no one knew who achieved it.The Player Federation was still searching for Han Yuseong. But now, having seemingly run out of leads, they had even placed a bounty on him.That showed just how desperate they were.
[How long do you plan to keep your identity hidden? You're already operating like a contracted player — are you really going to live like this forever?]"Once I've built up enough power, I'll reveal myself."
Han Yuseong's level was still only in the early 30s.While his stats were higher than average for that level, it still wasn't enough — nowhere near enough to contend with top-tier players.If he revealed his identity now, it would only invite a swarm of trouble.
"First things first, I should complete my class advancement."
Han Yuseong was currently Level 31.He had already surpassed the required level for his first class change, and sure enough, a message appeared:
[You have reached Level 30.]
[You are now eligible for a class advancement. Seek out the trials prepared by the Eyes and choose your desired class.]
[Recommended class for you: "Fistmaster."]
It was a message suggesting a class advancement.Fistmaster.It was the class he had chosen in his previous life. Naturally, he had no intention of choosing it again in this one.Han Yuseong pulled an orb from inside his coat.
Fsshhhh—
The Orb of Command emitted a faint, mysterious glow.Han Yuseong infused it with his mana.And then—
[The Orb of Command has regained its true power.]
[The advancement trial is now open. If you overcome the trial, you will be able to advance to one of the hidden classes: Martial Soul (武魂).]
Right in front of Han Yuseong, a small gateway appeared.
[Trial: Proof of Worthiness]
[A trial prepared by the creator of the Orb of Command. Anyone who steps into this place must prove their worth.If you succeed, you will be eligible to advance to Martial Soul.]
[Entry restriction: Only those who possess the Orb of Command may enter.]
Han Yuseong didn't know much about this trial.In his previous life, he had been enemies with Weslo, the one who had become a Martial Soul.Weslo wasn't the type to give interviews or share information, so details were scarce.The one thing Han Yuseong did know was:
"I've heard the trial is ridiculously hard."
Weslo had once let something slip.He'd casually mentioned how incredibly difficult it had been to obtain that class.Considering that, it was clear the trial's difficulty would be high.
["Martial Soul," quite an impressive name. From the sound of it, doesn't it reek of arrogance? That trial must be viciously difficult.]"You sound almost pleased. Am I imagining that?"
[Kuhuhu…]
Han Yuseong clicked his tongue.This Eye of Knowledge was obsessed with war — no wonder it was excited by the scent of battle.But it wasn't wrong.Specialized classes usually came with complicated trials.He had to be ready for a high degree of difficulty.
"Now's as good a time as any."
Lately, he'd been making too much noise.Solving the trial to become a Martial Soul would give him a chance to lay low and quietly pass some time.After resting and recovering his condition, Han Yuseong felt ready to move again.He reached out and touched the gateway.
The moment his hand made contact—
FWHOOM!
In an instant, the scenery changed.From a remote forest to high above the skies — unbelievable as it was, Han Yuseong now stood in a temple built upon countless clouds.He glanced around.
"It's more extravagant than I expected."
[Care to jump down? The clouds look nice and fluffy.]"You planning to kill an Oathbearer or something?"
Han Yuseong shook his head and stepped forward.The temple was dazzling in its grandeur — but also eerily empty, not a single soul in sight.
At the center of the temple stood a massive altar.And on that altar was a round indentation.
[The orb you possess should fit perfectly.]"Hmm…"
The dimmed Orb of Command —the indentation was exactly the right size to hold it.Han Yuseong held the orb in his hand, contemplating what was about to unfold.
"Will monsters appear? Or maybe a powerful opponent… could be a tricky trial. Whatever it is, I can't let my guard down."
This was a trial for advancing to a special class.He couldn't afford to be careless.Han Yuseong prepared himself for any possibility, then placed the Orb of Command into the indentation on the altar.
Click.
He clenched his fists as a blood-red wind began to stir around him.
"If an enemy shows up, I'll just beat them."
He had fought more battles than he could count.No matter what kind of fight awaited him, losing wasn't an option.Just as he finished bracing his mind and body — the Orb of Command began to crack.
Moments later, it shattered completely into fine dust.
FWOOOM!
From the indentation, a brilliant light burst forth.
Han Yuseong took a defensive stance, staying alert for any enemy that might appear at any moment.And then — a voice rang out from somewhere, from nowhere.
[Player, Han Yuseong.]
[You are one who has already proven your worth.]
[Therefore, you are granted the right to advance to Martial Soul.]
A voice delivering an entirely unexpected message.
"What the hell is this now?"
This wasn't the development he had anticipated.Han Yuseong frowned, his clenched fist slowly lowering in disbelief.