Darkness blanketed everything.
A space of nothingness—no wind, no scent, no sound. There was no way to tell front from back, or even confirm the presence of one’s own body. You couldn’t be certain of your existence at all.
A space detached from the flow of time. And there was only one person in the world capable of manifesting such a place through shadows.
J swallowed dryly and blinked. Or at least, he assumed he had. He couldn’t feel a thing.
Moving was impossible. He didn’t even know where his arms and legs were. He tried to curl his fingers into a fist—but there was no sensation at all.
J had once possessed the same skill, but he didn’t dare try using it here. All he could do was hold his breath and stay still. That was the best option.
How long had he been trapped in this space?
Five minutes? Five hours? Five days? ...Five years?
The more you thought, the faster your mind collapsed. So J deliberately let go of one thought at a time. And just then—
Crunch, crraack!
“Urgh...!”
A faint sound echoed from far away.
J quickly realized what it was. The sound of flesh being torn and a breath being cut off. Someone was being devoured by the shadows. Probably one of the remaining staff.
The moment he became aware of the stench of blood, the darkness pressing down on him lifted like a curtain.
Whoosh!
His senses came rushing back, and he realized he’d returned to reality.
How long... was I trapped in there?
Still collapsed, J stared down at his trembling hands.
In the center of the lab, shattered glass and destroyed equipment # Nоvеlight # lay scattered.
Before it was a corpse—so mangled and broken it was impossible to identify—and a pool of blood that was rapidly spreading across the floor.
J checked the time on one of the machines and was struck with disbelief.
Only one minute?
A cold bead of sweat dripped from his temple. He’d assumed at least five hours had passed.
The realization that it had only been a minute brought a crushing wave of exhaustion. Unable to move from the fatigue, J saw the silhouette across from him begin to move.
Step. Step.
Clean, deliberate footsteps echoed in the lab.
The man approaching—his long legs striding forward—looked far too composed for someone who’d just been submerged in liquid.
The green sapphire earring dangling from his ear shimmered faintly.
“Get up.”
“Kh...!”
A black shadow slithered out from behind the man as he rolled up his shirt sleeve, grabbing J by the neck. Lifted into the air by the shadow, J’s gaze met his.
Clear green eyes clashed with his own murky ones. The man stared at him for a moment before pulling up the corners of his mouth.
“How should I greet you? ...Shall I say it’s been a while?”
“...I don’t... know why you’re angry.”
J let his body hang limp while his neck was still being held. It was a gesture of surrender—he wasn’t going to resist.
“You know as well as I do... things went wrong from the start this time. That’s why I... tried to fix what was broken as best I could...”
“I don’t give a damn about your opinion.”
A cold glint flashed through the man’s eyes, and the grip on J’s neck tightened. J’s face turned pale as pain exploded through his throat.
“Kh...! Hrrk... Why...?”
The pain was like his neck being torn apart. J finally couldn’t endure it any longer—he clawed at the shadow gripping his throat, struggling violently. But his feeble resistance meant nothing.
His vision rolled back into his skull—he was right on the edge of death.
Thud!
The shadow suddenly released him, and J collapsed to the floor.
“Guhahk! Hah...! Cough! Cough!!”
Wheezing for breath, J clutched at his crimson-swollen throat and gasped for air between violent coughs.
The man—Cha Sahyeon—looked down at J, who lay sprawled at his feet.
“That settles the score. That’s your punishment—and your debt repaid.”
It was vengeance for having stormed and wrecked the house where he had been staying with Cha Seohu.
And at the same time, it was a repayment—for saving Cha Seohu’s life.
That choice had, in turn, saved J’s.
Even with his memories intact, there was no way he’d want to die like this without being able to do anything.
“Come.”
Cha Sahyeon turned away indifferently and muttered low. A shadow stirred on the floor, and soon a black bird—entirely made of shadow—burst forth.
With a few powerful wingbeats, it landed familiarly on Cha Sahyeon’s arm.
Staring into the bird’s emerald eyes—eyes identical to his own—Cha Sahyeon gave an order.
“Find him. And protect him.”
As if replying, the bird blinked once and flew off, passing effortlessly through the wall and disappearing from the lab.
That was one concern out of the way.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Cha Sahyeon turned to leave. But just then, a hoarse voice rose behind him.
“...Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
“I... I don’t understand. I don’t know why you’re angry with me, or why you didn’t wait to recover more strength before waking...”
“Why the hell should I explain myself to you?”
“At the very least, tell me where you’re going. I need to—”
Cha Sahyeon turned his back again without answering.
“You’re not seriously planning to move on your own, are you? That can’t be allowed.”
That was the end of the conversation.
Ignoring the flustered J, Cha Sahyeon left without hesitation.
The pounding of multiple footsteps and distant explosions overlapped in the corridor.
Screech!
Cha Seohu skidded across the floor, his shoes scraping loudly as he was thrown backward by a blast and slammed into a wall.
He slowly exhaled the breath caught in his chest.
So many of them...
Beyond the raised edge of his sword, enemies continued to swarm in.
At least thirty. All combat types. The pressure they exuded... B- and C-rank, with one A-rank among them.
“He’s over here!”
The A-rank Hunter shouted, and the others rushed toward him. He seemed to be the commanding officer.
“The intruder’s exhausted! Don’t stop attacking!”
“Push forward!”
The murderous intent pouring from dozens of people made Seohu’s skin prickle. His heart pounded hotly in this life-or-death moment.
“...Hoo.”
He exhaled, sheathed the scabbard in his left hand at his hip, and gripped the sword’s hilt with both hands.
If only I had a proper skill...
If only he weren’t just a fake S-rank from a Hidden Skill,
If only he were a real S-rank—what would that be like?
A skill that let you carve freely through the battlefield with your sword.
A skill that summoned chains to dominate space.
A skill that could open limitless possibilities with brilliant light.
If he had something like that...
Even if it wasn’t amazing, even if it only helped a little in battle—things would be different.
I wouldn’t have let that kid go so easily.
Seohu gazed coldly at the blood still clinging to his blade.
I wouldn’t have let my people die like that.
Even with the S-rank buff, nothing changed. All he had... was this body.
So he’d survive with what he’d been taught.
“Come.”
The moment Seohu spoke, the lead Hunter slashed with a greatsword.
“Die!”
Whoosh!
The heavy swing tore through the air with a deep hum.
Seohu ducked low and dashed forward like an arrow, aiming straight for the unavoidable gap that always came with wielding such a large weapon.
His sword moved like lightning.
“Gkh...!”
The blade pierced through the neck, jutting out the top of the head. As the corpse collapsed in a spray of blood, another Hunter swung a weapon at him.
In the middle of the underground hallway, an A-rank Hunter at the rear sneered.
Stupid bastard.
Coming here alone?
Whoever he was, this was a sacred zone designated by the cult leader himself. No one who entered alone could ever make it out alive.
Clang!
As the A-rank smirked, Seohu’s sword continued to swing.
Weapons clashed relentlessly, killing intent stabbing like needles at his chest.
—Focus.
The voice of that man echoed in his mind. So vividly, it felt like he was right beside him.
—Don’t swing the sword casually. For someone with your skill, swinging without thought is the height of arrogance.
You must never swing your weapon lightly. That was the first lesson he’d ever received.
Whether it’s once, ten times, or a hundred—your mind must not falter. Even after a thousand swings, your focus should remain as sharp as the first.
From tip to blade, hilt to hand, arm to head—everything moved in unison toward a single purpose.
Sweat ran down his cheek and scattered into the air. Blood and sweat mixed beneath his feet.
“Arrgh!”
“Gahk! Gk!”
The screams of enemies rang out through the spray of blood. Seohu didn’t stop. He kept pushing forward.
—Move.
Twisting his body, he barely dodged the thrust of a spear. He spun halfway around and slashed the attacker’s neck.
—Faster.
Obeying the command ringing in his head, he accelerated.
His muscles screamed at their limits, and searing pain shot through his sword arm—but he couldn’t stop.
The screams, the blood, the hateful glares from those he killed—
They all pushed him beyond his limits.
His sword sliced diagonally, and his cloak—Wisdom of the Sky—fluttered in white behind him. The sword that had split a man’s torso now came down vertically in one fluid motion.
It flowed like a dance.
Splash.
Ripples spread through the blood pooling around his final step.
“Hah... Hah...”
Only then did Seohu, breath ragged, lower the tip of his sword.
“W-what the... fuck...”
The A-rank Hunter staggered backward, pale as a ghost.
Thirty-four in total. Thirty-four Hunters had been slaughtered by one S-rank standing alone before them.
Main Quest: Reunite with the Villain (Time Remaining: 2 hours 57 minutes)

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