White.
Nothing but white.
For several long seconds...
No sound existed.
No wind.
No heartbeat.
Only endless light.
Then—
Slowly faded.
The ruined city emerged once again.
The ritual circle had vanished.
The black fog dissolved into countless glowing embers.
The cocoon...
Was gone.
Not a single fragment remained.
The countless eyes above the gray sky closed away.
Only scorched earth stretched before Kai.
Silence.
Complete silence.
...
Kai remained standing.
Barely.
Kai's breathing was shallow.
Kai's right arm hung limply by his side.
The White Flame surrounding the chain slowly fade away.
One ember after another.
Until only faint sparks remained.
The System appeared before Kai.
HP: 7 / 137
HP Recovered.
Kai let out a weak laugh.
"...Seven."
"...Still alive."
Kai's legs trembled.
Kai's vision darkened around the edges.
Then—
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
The familiar chime echoed through the empty streets.
Ding.
[Mission Complete]
Objective: Eliminate the Corrupt Walker
Status: Complete
Objective: Destroy Forbidden Ritual: Child of Corruption
Manifestation: 98% Failed
Status: Complete
Another notification appeared.
Then another.
And another.
The notification filled Kai's vision.
Rewards Calculating...
Experience Awarded: Increase Level 21 New
White Flame Lv.3 - Level 5 New
Mental Stability Lv.5 - Level 6 New
Title: Lone Star New
Synchronizing...
Job function unlocked... New
Kai frowned.
"...Job Function?"
Before Kai could read further—
Kai's vision blurred.
The notifications became unreadable.
Kai's body finally reached its limit.
Kai's knees buckled.
THUD!
Kai collapsed onto the broken pavement.
The chain slipped from his fingers with a dull metallic clink.
Kai's breathing became slow.
Heavy.
Every inhale burned.
Every exhale felt weaker than the last.
"..."
"...I w-won..."
Kai's eyelids slowly closed.
Darkness crept into the corners of his vision.
Sleep pulled at his consciousness.
This time...
Not because of the Nightmare.
Not because of despair.
Simply...
Exhaustion.
...
Far beyond the battlefield—
Upon the roof of a collapsed skyscraper—
Someone is watching.
A lone silhouette.
Tall.
Motionless.
Its face remained hidden beneath the darkness.
Only two crimson eyes glowed faintly.
It looked toward the unconscious Kai.
Neither admiration.
Nor anger.
Only cold calculation.
After a long silence...
The figure spoke.
"...Kai..."
"...Don't die..."
"You're mine."
The voice carried no emotion.
It turned away.
"Hold a little longer."
"It's not the time yet."
Its cloak with an inverted crescent moon disappeared into the lingering darkness.
As though it had never been there.
...
Minutes passed.
The ruined city became silent once more.
Soft footsteps echoed through the empty street.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Another figure approached.
Unlike the first...
A quiet curiosity approach.
The figure stopped beside Kai.
Looking down at the unconscious young man.
The burned chain.
The scorched battlefield.
The remnants of White Flame still dancing around Kai's hand.
The stranger knelt.
A gloved hand gently brushed the ash from Kai's shoulder.
"...Interesting."
A faint smile appeared beneath the hood.
"So..."
"You're the survivor."
The stranger looked toward the distant horizon.
"...Look at this area it reduced to ashes."
"Hey, Raya"
"Is this person a regressor or something?"
Wind blow strongly.
Then a voice answered.
Smooth and low, carrying a quiet confidence.
A man appeared from nowhere.
"Possibly."
"A power capable of destroying this area."
"Is definitely a regressor."
_______
The gray sky continue hovering around.
Unaware...
That somewhere beyond them—
At the mall, ocean, cemetery, and some park.
Something had opened its eyes.
To be continue...