September 22, 2023
Seattle, Washington, USA
55 minutes after System Reset
“Hey, folks! This is your captain speaking. It’s 11:55 local time here in Seattle, and it looks like we’re in for a midnight landing! We’re descending now, so please keep yourselves strapped in, your tray tables secured, and—oh, put your devices on airplane mode if you haven’t already. Thank you for traveling with American Airlines, we’ll be arriving shortly.”
Overhead, the intercom clicked off, and groggy voices whispered to each other across the dimly lit cabin. Mary, the lady next to Jun—with three kids and eight grandchildren whom she’d reminisced about at great length—stirred from beneath her blanket, wiped the sleep from her eyes and put on her glasses.
“Make sure you give your mother a great big hug when you land, Jun. She’s blessed to have a son like you to look after her.”
“I will,” Jun reassured her.
He wasn’t sure how well he hid his pained expression, but Mary’s eyesight had been declining ever since she’d turned eighty. Sadly, she was a fair penny away from getting necessary treatment, and it would be difficult to see him clearly in this lighting.
“Oh, and buy your mother a pot of perennial flowers, will you? There’s no better way to greet someone who’s sick than with a pot of flowers.”
Mary laughed and recounted how her sons had picked some from her garden when she’d fallen ill, and was too weak to tend to it. Then, she shared stories about Phil’s gardening passion and his fascination with bonsai. Then, she spoke about Phil’s lovely wife and how she felt walking him down the aisle and how lucky he was to have her. Then, more stories followed.
She was a sweet woman with a lovely family, but Jun found it hard to listen as they closed in on Seattle. His mind wandered to his neatly folded Doctors Without Borders uniform in his luggage, and to his own family. It had been a week since he’d received the call.
He shifted his glasses and clenched his eyes shut at the memory. Then, as soon as it was polite to do so, he opened his phone, looking again at the screenshot he’d taken.
Mary followed his glance. “Oh, is your mother? Why gosh, she’s so pretty! You didn’t tell me she was this pretty, Jun!”
he thought.
“Oh, yes. She’s a beautician, so she looks after herself.”
In the Instagram post, his mother was posing with a famous model, another client she’d brought him long ago. The sun was out, and their dispositions were bright as they drank martinis on a beach he didn’t recognize. It was dated two days ago, just a day after he’d been granted emergency leave, when his plane ticket had already been booked.
He clicked his phone off, burying it beneath clothes in his carry-on so he wouldn’t hear her calling once they touched ground. Forging medical documents was a new low he hadn’t expected from her.
But he wasn’t. At that moment, Jun thought he’d rather be anywhere else.
Suddenly, an odd touched him. The plane hit an air pocket, and turbulence gently shook the cabin. Murmuring picked up as passengers leaned over each other to look out the windows. Jun, in the aisle seat, didn’t bother.
“Jun…”
Mary turned to him, pointing out the window. Her face was pale, her hand trembled.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s—”
The entire world froze.
Integration 192 of World 39F72 has begun. Please await further instructions as the assessment is completed
Welcome to the System!
* * *
Jun knelt beside Jolyn, having her drink water he’d mixed with instant coffee as he scanned the quest information one more time.
[Map of Chambers] has been obtained!Hidden Quest has been triggered!
[Lionheart’s Madness]Guild Master Lionheart has cursed the living, imbuing them with the Death Mark! Only he can complete the ritual. It falls to you to foil his evil machinations!
Clear Conditions:
Rewards: 5,000 Essence Crystals
Time to Ritual - 31:42Accept? Yes / No
“No,” Jose said, “No way, I’m… I’m not doing that.”
Margaret crossed her arms. “I’m with the meathead on this one. I feel sorry for those folks but I’m not sticking my neck out for strangers.”
Jun proceeded to feed Jolyn snacks he’d stashed in his carry-on bag, then turned to face the others, nodding. “I know it’s risky,” he said. “I hope to change your minds on this, but I won’t be forcing anyone to go with me. I’ll go alone if I have to.”
“Alone? How—”
“Don’t.” Margaret said. “I’ve only known you for a short time Jun, but I can see you’re a kind-hearted young man. So don’t you throw your life away on a fool’s errand.”
“Ye-yeah…” Jose continued. “And you have the highest level here, what will happen to us if you leave?”
“Then you’d still have me,” Ishaan said.
Jose turned to him, looking a little bit more eased, but Ishaan didn’t reciprocate the expression. His brows were still drawn in a frown as he looked down at the quest information Jun had sent him.
“Ishaan…” Margaret said cautiously, “You aren’t thinking of…”
“Ten-thousand Essence Crystals,” he said simply. “I don’t have a death wish either, Margaret. But surviving today doesn’t mean I’ll survive the next.”
Jose strided up to him, tensing his fists. “But you just said—”
“Relax, big guy. I’m not on board with this, I’m just considering my options. So, what’s the plan?”
All eyes turned back to Jun. “I don’t have a complete plan yet. As you guys know, my abilities allow me to stun and distract enemies—”
“But you don’t have a solid grip on it,” Ishaan said pointedly.
“Yeah… but I know I’ll be able to stun the boss, I just might end up stunned as well for the duration.”
“So one of us would have to finish it off… hm, Jose is probably a physical fighter, and so am I. I don’t have faith in your skill, Jun. I saw you struggling earlier, so either one of us would be at risk taking on that role. Margaret? You have a bow.”
“Yeah, I have a bow,” Margaret spat. “Used it to thwack stray dogs in the last Scenario. Do these arms like they twang bowstring you twat?”
“Then we’re done talking. It’s too risky—”
“Rather than some stupid , I’d probably use this gun I lifted from that loudmouth hillbilly,” Margaret continued. She held up a pistol and they stared at her. “But so what? I still ain’t going.”
“Jolyn…” Jun said. “Can you tell us what your skill is?”
She teared up, but when she opened her mouth all that came out was a choked sob. She was lucid enough. Jun was beginning to think the alcohol wasn’t her real problem. He rubbed her back.
Margaret looked away. “Jun. Like I said, you have a big heart but…”
“But she's deadweight,” Ishaan said. “Even if I were to accept this quest, I wouldn’t bring her. Dragging her around with us dramatically lowers our chances of surviving.”
Jolyn scrunched her eyes. She didn’t have it in her to refute that. There was only a silent word on her lips:
“Also, Margaret,” Ishaan continued. “You’re free to do whatever, but I’m sure you know that your own odds of survival aren’t great either if Jun and I decide to split off. You too, Jose. Guns make a lot of noise, if that’s all you have. Brawn can only take you so far.”
“I didn’t say that was I could do!”
“Yeah, whose side are you even on?!” Jose yelled.
“My own.”
“Your—what?!”
Jose stepped forward, beginning to yell again. Jun pinched his eyes. “Hey Jolyn, do you have any siblings?”
“...ye-yeah?” She whimpered. “Why?”
“Sorry for the weird question… I was just reminded of something. When I was a teenager, my older sister came home blackout drunk once, and my mother and father got into a huge fight over it. I remember them yelling so loudly at each other, while I was nursing her back to health and trying to get her to throw up.”
Jolyn laughed a little. “Really? Wh-what…here?”
“It’s a core memory of mine,” Jun said. “I’m sure everyone has memories like those, that they recall without even wanting to.”
She laughed a little more. Then stopped. “I…do. Seven siblings… I was the middlest, but my parents…
“Just let it happen, Jolyn,” Jun said. “I have more snacks and water if you need them.”
He patted her back as she vomited some more, then tuned in to the others’ bickering. “Sorry, may I cut in real quick? It doesn’t sound like this conversation is going anywhere, and I have a suggestion. How about we sit down first, so we can discuss things without adrenaline rushing to our heads?”
“What do you mean?” Jose asked. “What even is there to discuss—”
“Sure,” Ishaan said.
Margaret and Jose stayed standing.
“I understand where you guys are coming from,” Jun continued. “I’m not budging on my own decision, and I don’t know what Ishaan will decide, but I’m listening to you and I hear your concerns. We have differing opinions, but what we want is to stay as a team. I think it’ll be good for all of us if we take a second to calm down, then learn how we can work as one.”
Margaret scratched her head, then sat. Jose harrumphed then planted himself on the floor.
12:47
Now that Jun had their attention, he found himself a little lost for what to say. “I um… in these situations, a quick icebreaker can go a long way, but I don’t know any that feel appropriate… actually, I do but…”
“Out with it,” Margaret said.
Jun pressed his lips in a thin line, then looked her in the eyes. “Why did you choose Nightmare, Margaret?”
“What kind of question is She balked. “Why would I—”
“It was a mistake,” Jose interrupted. “I never should have come. I have a family, and they need me. They me, so why did I come? I guess it’s… I felt…”
The man went silent, his expression downcast. Only silence followed. Then, a weak voice spoke up.
“It said I was special…” Jolyn said. “And I believed it. I’m one of seven siblings. My older sister’s…they practically raised us in our parent’s stead. Except… they never counted on me for anything. Nobody has. I’ve never been anything but ordinary…and useless my entire…life.”
She went back to crying again on Jun’s shoulder.
Margaret scrunched her eyes, then sighed. “I can’t say my tale’s as deep as that. I was , that’s all. I live out in the shticks. My husband died some years back and my kids visit me hardly ever. They got their own lives and that’s , but I can only sit around twiddling needles so long till my brain starts rotting. Clearly, the damage was already done, so here I am. How about you, Ishaan? Or you just gonna sit there starin’ holes in all our noggins?”
“I don’t need to share anything,” Ishaan said.
“Oh, Then—”
“I was on a plane when all this happened,” Jun said quickly. It seemed to have stopped their arguing from going any further.
“Oh…” Jose mouthed.
Margaret shifted uncomfortably. “I heard what that Guardian said about things back on Earth… well, it’d sure make uneasy, being in the sky at a time like that.”
“Yes… I did think about that,” Jun said. “But truthfully, I don’t think it’s the real reason I chose Nightmare, and listening to your guys’ stories helped affirm that to me. Jose, I know you care for your family. You said they need you, but did that need feel any bit overwhelming at the time when you got this invitation?”
The man stilled. Then nodded, brusquely.
“And Margaret, did you—”
, I felt lonely,” she said. “But if you say it aloud, I’ll kick your ass!”
“Ah…” Jun let out a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his head. “I understand, I’m sorry if I’m overstepping, but I just want to say, I empathize with you both. I was raised in a pretty strict household. I owe a great deal to my parents for putting me through college, but for the longest time I felt like I couldn’t breathe. After studying medicine, I became a plastic surgeon since my mother had connections in the industry. I’d already made her angry enough by minoring in Philosophy rather than Business, so I couldn’t argue with her on that, and it ended up making me very wealthy. But… even though I had a lot of things, I didn’t like my life. I felt that someone with my privileges had a responsibility to those without them that was greater than the debt I have to my parents. I’m… talking a lot, aren’t I?”
Jun pried one eyelid open, flushing a little. “I’ll… spare you guys my whole life story, but eventually, I found fulfillment in helping people, and I was on my way back home to my parents when I got this invite. I think, like all of you, the real reason I chose Nightmare was because I wanted to escape something that terrified me more.”
An uncomfortable silence ensued, as the others all averted his gaze.
“No, it was just a whim in my case,” Ishaan said. “I was doing pretty fine before, and I regret it. Anyway, it seems we sufficiently know each other now. Jun, have you looked at the map of the underground chambers yet?”
“I haven’t had the chance. I’m going to take a look now.”
Map of Chambers
A map of the catacombs beneath Starter Town. Would you like to download it into your UI?
Jun selected “yes” and a three-dimensional mini-map appeared in his field of vision, almost holographic. Countless twisting routes were obscured by a dark fog, but two locations were visible: the Sacrifice Grounds and the Guild Hall. The first was covered in red dots, presumably indicating enemies, but the Guild Hall had only one.
Jun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the bluntness of it all.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Ishaan continued. “Those Sacrifice Grounds… I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. But there’s only one boss and four of us. The undead don’t die from fatal wounds it seems. Their cores are their weakness. Margaret, do you even know how to shoot your gun?”
She snorted. “Sure. What about it?”
“How well?”
“I said, You’re asking cause you’re scared to do the deed yourself ain’t you? Then if I refuse, then where does that leave you?”
“I could say the same thing,” Ishaan retorted. “But let's not take this any further. We’ve wasted enough time already and Jun’s right. We shouldn’t be fighting right now.”
Margaret harrumphed and muttered something about Then she sent over her display with only one skill on it.
Perfect Aim
Jun raised an eyebrow at that, but his attention was mostly on the sullen figure in the corner. Jolyn had clearly picked up on the fact that Ishaan was counting her out, and despair clouded her eyes. Jun looked back at Ishaan, watching his expression narrow when he saw Margaret’s skill. Oddly, he was Jun’s strongest advocate for attempting to free. It wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart, but not everyone could be motivated purely on that alone.
Ishaan was talking aloud to himself as he studied the map. The theoretical plan he was forming became more detailed, and Margaret and Jose seemed more concerned the longer Ishaan talked about it. At this rate, they would probably just go along with it. They’d have no choice.
During a lull in the conversation, Jun shifted so he sat directly in front of the two. “Jose, Margaret, I don’t mean to demean you guys in any way, but are you not concerned about the people we’d be abandoning if we just left?”
“Of course I am!” Jose snapped. “But I’m worried enough about the family I abandoned to come here. They’re… they’re the most important to me. I have to make it back to them no matter what.”
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Jun looked at Margaret but she couldn’t meet his eyes. “I… don’t got anyone precious to me like that. They’d all be fine without me. I’m just… I’m…”
“Scared?” Jun asked. He touched her shoulder.
“Yeah… I’m scared alright. I don’t know how it doesn't put the fear of god into you two, either. This place it’s…”
“It does,” Jun said. “I might not look like it, but I’m scared too. There’s just something that scares more. You know what that is?”
Margaret shook her head.
“What I’m more scared of is doing this alone. Today, it might just be a group of people I don’t know all that well that die, but I feel like I know you two well now. Self preservation is a normal thing, and I don’t fault either of you guys for putting yourselves above others. But Ishaan’s right. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. What if tomorrow it’s one of us you have to abandon to survive? What if it’s all of us? Doesn’t that sound lonely?”
Margaret trembled. “It does but…”
She trailed off. Jun understood. he was certain she was going to say.
“I’ll… I’ll do it,” Jose said.
Margaret spun in shock. “What? But you—”
“I know,” he said. “But… he’s right. I don’t know how your Scenario went, but a lot of people in this group came from the one I was at. I… I know them a bit. I-I was scared, an-and, I mean… we worked together. We only made it cause we worked together, and what if Jun’s right—I what if by abandoning them, I’m abandoning myself down the line? I… don’t know. I’m probably just…”
“You’re not wrong Jose, I feel the same,” Jun said. “I’m not just trying to sway you, I genuinely believe what I’m saying. We’re in hell right now, but we’ll only be more doomed if we don’t work together. Humanity only came all this way because we were a collective. If we forsake that… then where does that leave us?”
Margaret scoffed. Then groaned, her head in her hands. “Ahh Christ almighty, ahh…” She sighed loathingly. “You wanna make an old woman cry? Is that what you want?”
“Wait—so you’re in?” Jun asked. “I’m really sorry if I pressured you into this. You’re old enough to be my grandmother, and I would never—”
“Zip it, brat. That’s something you just don’t say to a woman. And you’re sorry for me? It’s too late to apologize for your good nature, you conscientious twat! But yes,.
“Thank you,” he said, nodding.
“Hmph, I’m not making this place my grave… and I guess I should try not to make it anyone else’s either. You damn smooth-talker…”
Jun smiled. His smile quickly faded when Ishaan opened his mouth. “Good. Then the four of us should head off soon. We should level our abilities and learn to fight together against some of the other undead in these tunnels before taking on the boss. If we get any of these rewards first, then we’ll be in a much better position.”
Jose stood up. So did Margaret, reluctantly, but she turned back at the cell’s door when Jun didn’t stir. Once again, his attention was solely on Jolyn’s downcast posture as she mumbled to herself, her hands scrunched in tight fists. He walked over.
“We won’t leave you behind,” Jun told her. She lifted her head slightly at that. “But you won’t make it like this. If you can trust me, can you show me your skills?”
She nodded feebly and pulled up her UI.
[Fire Beam - Level 4 (Novice)]Launch a concentrated beam of fire that can inflict the burned status onto enemies.
Ishaan set his hand on Jun’s shoulder and was about to say something. He stopped, staring at the same thing Jun was staring at.
“That…sounds powerful,” Ishaan said.
Jun had to agree. “It sounds more destructive than any of my skills anyway, and Howl doesn’t rely on my Arcane stat a lot. So I’m going to give you this, Jolyn.”
Jun removed his Bone Shard Necklace knelt before her, placing it gently around her neck.
[Bone Shard Necklace (Common)]Necklace formed from the bone shards of a Shaman Chimiks. Slightly increases Arcane.
“Jolyn,” Jun said, his tone soft yet firm, “I know this is hard. It’s hard for all of us. But there are others, just like you who need help. And right now, you’re the only one here who can help them.”
For the first time, she looked him in the eyes. What he saw there made him uneasy—a weakness that felt all too familiar. It was hope but of the most desperate kind: resignation.
“Are you… are you going to save me?” she asked.
Jun hesitated. It wasn’t the first time he’d been asked that question, and in the past, he’d never hesitated to say yes. It was the simplest answer. But…
“No,” he said. “I’m just like you. I’m not strong enough to carry you through this. I didn't ask to be here, and I’m just as scared as you are. But this necklace here…” He gestured to the bone-shard necklace now around her neck. “It’s a symbol of my faith. It says that I believe in you. So can you believe in yourself? Is having me be with you enough to let you stand on your own two feet? Because if it is, I will never leave you, Jolyn.”
Her hand trembled. “But I’m… useless. I’ll just slow you down. Then you’ll…”
“Then I’ll protect you in those moments. And I’ll be counting on you to do the same for me. We can’t wait for someone stronger to save us, Jolyn. They won’t come. Instead, we have to save ourselves.”
Jolyn whimpered, shame and fear in her expression. Tears fell on her fists as they trembled at her sides. Then one of her hands reached tentatively for Jun’s, and he took it, pulling her to her feet.
“I’ll…try,” She said.
“That’s all I ask.”
None of the others had any complaints as they walked out of there together. Jun had meant every word. He’d believed in a savior just like Jolyn had, and he’d gotten Alex. That savior would never come. It fell on them to be that person for each other; if they couldn’t make it through this place alone, then they’d do it together.
Jun turned back to the map, feeling a flicker of unease. The route to the Guild Hall was straightforward—no red dots, no visible enemies—just the solitary one in the chamber’s center.
He clenched his fists
He wasn’t alone.
Accept Quest?
Yes / No
Quest accepted!
A party has been formed!
Members: Margaret, Juan, Jolyn, Ishaan, Jun
They began to walk down the chamber tunnels, in search of fewer enemies to practice against before they got themselves in real danger. But as soon as they exited the chambers with all the cells, a tenseness settled in, and Jun decided to them he’d meant what he said. He took off his mana-regen earrings, handing one to Margaret and Jose each. He handed Ishaan the skill stone he’d taken from that Necromancer, then met each of their gazes
“Just so we’re on the same page,” he said, “I didn’t just give you guys those items as a bargain or a bribe. It was a show of trust. We’re a team now. That means I’ve got your backs in there, and I trust you to have mine.”
Juan’s face was set with earnest determination. Ishaan’s eyes gleamed with confidence. And Jolyn… There was courage there, beneath her terror.
“Hmph, a sappy one, aren’t you,” Margaret said, her voice wavering as her eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m too young to have , you fool. How old do you think I am?”
* * *
A party member has been killed!
Margaret’s corpse was sent flying. It all happened so fast.
One second, she was standing right next to Jun, and the next, the small elderly woman was slammed into the wooden wall, a dagger lodged through her throat. Her head lolled to the side, her spine visibly shattered as she gurgled her last breath.
The others froze, unable to process what had just happened. The fight had barely started—she’d only fired her gun a few times at the core. They had been perfect shots too…
The skeletal boss threw back his head and laughed, his bare chest heaving beneath a tattered red cowl. Behind his ribs, his core swirled with pitch-black emptiness, shifting. “Hah! Oh… The old shifting core trick. Gets them every time, doesn't it?”
He leaped onto a wooden table, clattering abandoned food and drink to the floor. Mead spilled through the gaps in his ribs as he tipped a cup back, then tossed it aside.
“Hmm?” he mused, his hollow gaze sweeping through them. “So, is what the System had in mind, eh?”
[Lionheart the Hero]
Once a bastion of protection and a symbol of hope, Lionheart was admired by all. Now, he’ll settle for some good mead and your head on a spike!
Level 17 Scenario Boss.
“Shit… Shit—Shi—” Jose stumbled backward. Jolyn fell to her knees, screaming. Ishaan just stood frozen, staring at Maria’s lifeless body. Then at her gun.
Jun shakily drew his sword. His eyes locked onto the boss’s core, swirling with dark energy. He’d let loose a Howlkilled Margaret!
He wasn’t close enough for Howl
And he definitely wouldn’t be able to move either. He couldn’t fight, couldn’t run.
“Oh, ” Lionheart sneered, gesturing dismissively with his sword. “You know I can’t see that drivel, right? What does it say? Washed-up? Crippled by ambition? ” He scoffed, crossing his leg as he tapped his armored knee nonchalantly. “I’ll tell you now, trusting the system blindly is foolish. I’ll even prove it! I’ll let one of you go— one. You’re free to walk out that door… before I change my mind.
The open door to the plaza outside loomed, tantalizingly close.
“It’s a trap,” Jun muttered. His voice sounded distant in his own ears. “Okay, change of plans. I’ll need to get closer than I thought. Jolyn—” He turned to the woman. “Jolyn! Come on, it’s not over! Can you cover Ishaan with your skill while— No, don’t—!”
“I…” Juan’s voice trembled as he stepped forward. “I—I need to see my family.”
He didn’t look back. His steps faltered as he passed the table where Lionheart sat.
A party member has been killed!
Juan’s head balanced on the tip of Lionheart’s sword. The boss chuckled darkly, “Well, if that’s what you bud, glad to help!” He straightened, cracking his neck with a sickening pop. “But that’s enough mercy for today.”
Jun stared at Juan’s lifeless head, his mind racing.
For wanting to save the others? For risking their
The words felt hollow in his head. But this wasn’t over. It couldn’t be over. Ishaan was inching subtly towards Margarets body and towards the gun. Jolyn made it back to her feet. And Lionheart… he was just walking towards them—carelessly, as if they weren’t a threat to him at all.
Jun’s ideals had deluded him. The closer the boss came, the better he could sense the depth of Essence in his core.
“Ishaan, Jolyn,” he whispered, “stay calm. I’ll stun the boss, and make time for you to get to the gun and fire your beam, but it’ll be at the last second. I’m confident I can do this. Be ready.”
Jun didn’t wait to hear their reply, he immediately looked inward, focusing on the patterns threading his existence that made up Howlbecame his, didn’t it? That alien force… the
Blind to the outer world, Jun took a few steps forward, reaching out with his hand. His fingers brushed against something coarse and aged yet substantial.
“Ya like what you’re feelin’, lad?” a voice mocked. “You’re a few centuries too late, I’m afraid. Some bones don’t get up no more when your blood stops pumping. I have little to offer besides my looks now.”
Jun barely registered the laughter as he reached for his skill, feeling the patterns viscerally. Now he understood why Alex had described it as he had—the full truth of them was infinitely more complex. There were so many rules he didn’t know where to begin learning. Yet there was one he did know:
Mana was not power in the same way Essence was. Mana was energy, and wild. While he could change the flow of it to shift a skill’s Essence-patterns, he could also alter its intensity—its voltage. Too much, and his mana would tear the patterns apart.
Not just patterns—those roots connected to He surged his mana forward. It welled up in his throat like a river forced into a narrow pipe. He fed it more and more—an ocean’s worth—all that he could give. It would tear his essence apart. Those pathways connected to his very existence—could tear him apart. It could—
A bestial roar burst from Jun’s throat.
Howl
Jun opened his eyes to a cacophony of sound and vibration. His vision fractured, cracks spidering across the edges of his perception. Those roots splintered, flooded with an overflow of mana. He could feel that alien force—the system— working to contain the damage.
The boss trembled under his feral will, his skeletal form shaking against the confinement of his own existence. His bones rattled as he fought to stand firm.
“Ah, fuck! You— Stop—”
Jun didn’t let up.
ERROR: Skill Overload
40%
52%
85%
He glanced behind him. But there was no one there anymore. No Ishaan. No Jolyn. Ishaan was at the door now. He met Jun’s eyes, then looked between the gun and the boss, gauging the distance.
Then he ran.
Jolyn had only made it halfway through the room. He growled her name through the skill.
She froze, turning back. Her arm trembled as she raised it toward the boss. Then he saw her face for a split second—helpless resignation in her eyes. Equal parts guilt and pity, and self loathing.
She turned and fled.
Her expression said it all.
100%
Skill Overload has reached maximum—
He knew it. He knew this could happen. He’d have been dumb not to see the possibility. But he’d made his choice. This was conviction. And if he let up now, Jolyn wasn’t going to make it.
his skill! Essence! Nobody decided what was enough but
120%
150%
180—
* * *
Jun woke up. He tried to move his limbs but couldn’t. A part of it was sheer exhaustion—his strength had been sucked out, wholly and utterly. Beyond that, he felt numb. Something deep inside him had been broken and was desperately trying to piece itself back together.
His vocal cords were strained, but eventually he managed a rasp. Then words. “Why… haven’t you killed me?”
The Guildmaster knelt in front of him, laughing. “Young man, I’m not so heartless as I seem. Though, I understand your assumptions, seeing as how I butchered your friends. Now, as for why I haven’t killed you…”
Lionheart trailed off at the same moment Jun stopped following his words. They were dead. Margaret and Juan… they’d been butchered.
“Ah! Right! You impressed me ya know? That’s why I would like to offer you a choice!”
“No,” Jun said flatly.
“Hmm? You didn’t even let me explain my offer, lad.”
“What’s your offer then?”
Lionheart’s teeth clattered together in what once must have been a beaming smile. “What do you say to becoming friends?”
Jun blinked.
“Yes! Friends! Imagine it—all the fun we could have! Drinking till late in the eve, relaxing on the grassy plains, hunting humans—, you’d have to become an undead though. I hate humans, it’s in my nature. I don’t hate ‘course, but it is taking all I have to not kill you right now. I’m really stretching my bounds to arrange this, y’know.”
Jun blinked. “...Why?”
“Why An undead’s life is much easier, and full of joy. You stop caring so much about the little things that weigh you down in life—”
“No, but why Why bother?”
“I said you impressed me, didn’t I? She’d betrayed you. You you would die, and yet you…” Lionheart trailed off, scratching his head again. “Huh. That really isn’t that impressive, is it? It’s kind of disgusting now that I think about it.”
Lionheart’s bony hand shook a little where it gripped his sword. “Hm, I reckon you’ll die soon if you don’t accept my offer. , you’ll die regardless, but if the rest of that wasn’t convincing, you at least won’t feel so terrible about dying. Those feelings you must be having about or whatnot, they won’t matter to you soon. Believe me. If you were under me—”
Jun sighed and closed his eyes.
“If I were under you,” he droned, “I’d rise to unforeseen heights. You care for your men like they’re your family. Life with you all is a blast, so I should shed this mortal skin and embrace undeath. Oh, and you’d never betray me like my companions did. Is… is that what you were going to say?”
“Exactly it! Yes.”
Jun scrunched his eyes. It all sounded so familiar that he wanted to cry. His mother, Alex, Jolyn, Jose, Ishaan, and now … “Only problem is… it’s all a lie, right?”
Lionheart paused for a moment, then shrugged and settled back into his chair. “Well, not all of it. I care for my men, see. It’s a little different than , but when they’re all you have, they’re all you have. As for the rest… Well, you’ll find there’s a lot you don’t care about when you become undead.”
He downed another pint of mead.
“We’re simple in that way. Humans can be so easily twisted, but us? We’re rather singular in purpose. As long as—System redactedSystem redacted
In frustration, Lionheart threw his mug on the ground but quickly slouched back into a casual pose. “Well, it’s pretty much as you see. As a bonus, you won’t have to deal with that thing.” He gestured vaguely above Jun’s head.
It made Jun curious. Something about the undead’s manner made Jun believe everything he said. All things considered, he supposed it wasn’t a bad deal if he was going to die anyway. And who could blame him? Humanity had pretty much forsaken him by this point, hadn’t it? It was the same trap he kept falling into repeatedly. But times had changed. Shouldn’t he change with them?
“Maybe you’re right,” Jun said eventually. “I probably would be better off undead.”
“Oh?!”
He recalled the look Jolyn had given him when she’d turned back, consigning him to death. Humans weren’t as perfect as he’d hoped, neither nor back on Earth. Greed, pride, and even just self-preservation so easily became catalysts to tearing people apart. Why shouldn’t he forsake them?
But there was just one problem with that.
“Unfortunately,” Jun continued, “I’m a humanitarian.”
“Oh…”
For a second, the undead looked almost genuinely sad. Then he picked up his sword. Jun closed his eyes again, Jolyn’s expression still lingering in his mind. She was so weak, so hypocritical in her anguish. And yet, pathetically enough, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry with her.
Maybe Jun should’ve prioritized himself, preserved his life for another day. But what would he be preserving it for?
“Well, never say I’m not a people pleaser,” Lionheart said.
He plunged his sword into Jun’s gut.
***
9 Undead Adventurers have been Cleansed!+900 Essence Crystals+27 Points
An Undead Captain has been Cleansed!+500 Essence Crystals+10 Points
Alex stood in front of the entrance to the Guild Hall, its signboard tilted to one side.
His chest heaved as blood welled up, soaking his tattered slacks and sleeves where the fabric had split. His leather armor was chipped in places, and blood welled there, too, dripping from frayed bits and ends. Blood—the kind—dissipated from his shamshir blade, which vibrated with a low hum at this night’s offerings.
Soul Link has been damaged. HP cannot be restored above 68%.
Nicks and scratches marred her length, some cutting deeper than just the surface. Yet, despite the damage, she still seemed unsatisfied.
Strangely, Alex felt the same way. He gingerly ran his fingers along the face of his blade, taking in the field of carnage. All around him lay piles of bones and ash, marked by faint splotches of his own blood. Lying directly at his feet was the body of a man he vaguely recognized.
Ishaan - Tier 0, Level 6Status: Deceased
They’d burst out faster than he could react. He’d at least managed to save the woman, though he wasn’t sure if she was still alive now, wherever she’d run off to. More pressing in his mind was what the man carried. It had taken Alex only one look at the skill stone to recognize where it had come from. Only a second to understand why things had gone so differently this time. And only one heartbeat to act on it.
4,300 Essence Crystals have been consumed!You have leveled up!You have leveled up!
You have entered a Charged state.
Alex felt surprised by his own actions. He wasn’t the type to let emotions take control of his actions, nor was he the type to let them cloud his judgment. Yet, when he kicked in the Guild Hall doors, he did so with fury.
By the time the fourth scenario rolled around, there’d been a saying: “Nightmare is where good men go to die.”
But no good men were left here; the remainder of that burned the most. After all, the tutorial had a type, and it seemed no one had fit the bill this time. And now, he was the only one left.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Alex demanded.
His foot shattered a glass of water underfoot. His voice seethed.
“Watching,” the undead said.
Across the room, the Guildmaster sat there, crouched over Jun’s slumped figure. Jun was unmoving, bleeding out onto the floorboards, his wounds were beyond fatal. The Guildmaster hardly took note of Alex’s entrance, offering no other context until he took another heavy step.
“Seriously, I’m not in the mood. Go away.”
“No. Answer the question.”
He sighed and scratched his head in confusion. “He seemed like a good guy… I just wanted to see if I cared.”
“And?”
The undead lifted his sword for a decapitation. “It’s… amusing—”
.
Alex didn’t bother capping his sword’s greed for mana, and his blade surged forward with raw vigor.
The undead dodged away from Jun’s body, colliding messily with one of the tables. His eyes snapped to Alex’s weapon for the first time. For a second, his gaze seemed lost, like a child’s. Then, that semblance of recognition vanished. His stare hardened, and Alex could feel him piecing together just what his Shamshir was capable of as his voice took on a low growl.
Named quest has been triggered!
[LIONHEART’S MADNESS]
Guildmaster Lionheart has marked the living for sacrifice! Only he can complete the ritual, and it falls on you to foil his evil machinations!
Clear Conditions: Disrupt the sacrificial ritual.
Rewards: 5,000 essence crystals
Time to Ritual: 6:37
You have aggroed the scenario boss. Quest has been accepted
Alex’s attention slipped back to Jun. He had no clue how the man had triggered a named quest, but it was … . People died. That’s why Alex tried not to put too many expectations on them. Nightmare was always going to kill Jun, talent be damned. Maybe he would’ve accepted any other death for the man, but this?
“There’s a saying,” Alex said. “That Nightmare is where good men go to die. It’s often meant literally, but…”
He stopped—the guildmaster wasn’t listening.
Alex shifted away from the clearing and circled toward the strewn tables, eyeing his enemy—the first boss he’d face in a real fight this life.
Lionheart towered nearly eight feet tall, with ivory bones that glowed in the tavern’s dim light. Fury etched his features, and his empty eyes flared crimson with hatred as he sent food and drink flying from a nearby table. “That sword! Lugrin, Gugani, the Mayor… all those men and women—you killed them!”
“It’s a mercy,” Alex said.
Something about the way the guildmaster’s frame heaved in rage told Alex that Lionheart didn’t see it the same way. The boss ground his jaw so hard that flakes of bone tapered off, and his gaze pounded into Alex’s eyes. “You… you what you’ve just done, don’t you?! You—System redacted.
Even with the redaction, Alex could guess what Lionheart was saying. The System broke everyone in different ways, but few fates were more pitiful than the one unfolding before him.
“The struggle of the living cannot be mocked by those who gave it up You’ll come to regret not wearing any armor.”
Alex spat a bloody tooth onto the floor. His health was already below the threshold he’d set for himself, but that fire was still burning—with desire, anger, and anything and everything that could keep it alight these long hours. Even justice.
Alex wasn’t a good man. But had been a good man, and Alex intended to finish what he’d started. If he could cross avenging one off the bucket list, today could still be a good day.
And that would be enough.
He locked eyes with the boss and felt their feud had turned strangely personal. Ever since he’d figured out why things had gone differently, he’d a feeling it would. It was why he made sure to slaughter all the adventurers standing guard before he entered. Nobody would be intruding on this fight.
And no one would be leaving prematurely either.
He found himself unexpectedly chuckling. It was funny; you live a few years without gambling and start forgetting your habits.
As soon as he had the thought, the boss charged straight for him.
