The voice echoed in Beom Seok's head again, low and insistent, leaving him with a strange mix of awe and unease. He clenched his fists and muttered to himself, "One of my own…? What the hell does that even mean?" He had no answers, only questions. Questions about the voice, about the crystal, and about whatever path he was supposed to walk from here.
The creatures watched him. Silent, inscrutable, unmoving. Their eyes followed him, but not in a threatening way. More like… waiting. Like they already knew what he was going to do, and they wanted to see if he would do it.
Beom Seok ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He had no idea what awaited him deeper in the cavern, but he felt a spark of something he hadn't felt before: determination. He wasn't going to die here. Not like this. Not without understanding what was going on. He made a silent promise to himself: he would see this through, and he would figure out the truth about the crystal, the system, and whatever that voice meant.
The creatures shifted, and with a subtle motion, they beckoned him to follow. Beom Seok hesitated for a second before moving after them, following them through winding tunnels that twisted like the inside of a labyrinth. The walls were covered with strange symbols, intricate and alien, yet somehow… familiar. His chest tightened with recognition. He felt as if he'd seen them before, somewhere far away in a dream he couldn't fully recall.
After what felt like hours, they arrived at a chamber bathed in a soft, otherworldly glow. At the center of the room was a pool of liquid that shimmered like liquid starlight. Beom Seok stopped, his breath catching in his throat. He could feel the energy radiating off it, almost like the cavern itself was alive. The creatures stepped back, silently gesturing for him to approach.
He lowered himself carefully to the edge of the pool and stretched out a hand. The instant his fingers brushed the surface, the liquid flared bright, and a hum filled the chamber—a vibration that seemed to reach into the very core of his being. Beom Seok froze as visions bombarded his mind: a figure surrounded by beings with vast, glowing wings, their faces obscured. Anger, betrayal, and the sharp sting of loss surged through him. He felt a burning, almost violent thirst for revenge.
When the visions finally faded, Beom Seok pulled his hand out of the pool, trembling. The creatures had vanished, leaving him alone. His chest heaved, but before he could gather his thoughts, a system notification blinked into existence in front of him.
Beom Seok stared at the display for a long moment, his mind still buzzing with fragments of the visions. Absolute Executioner. The words felt heavy, almost like a warning, but also… a promise. And somewhere deep in his gut, he knew it was connected to the figure in the vision.
He glanced at the system window, trying to make sense of the new stats and skills. Each line of text felt like a tangible step into something he couldn't yet fully grasp—but he also knew he had no choice but to move forward.
Available distribution points: 4
Beom Seok exhaled slowly, massaging his temples. The visions, the crystal, the skills, the title—it was all too much. But at the same time, a fire had ignited inside him. His past hesitations, his weakness, his failures—they felt smaller now, insignificant compared to what lay ahead.
He placed the crystal into the system inventory, feeling its cold weight and the subtle pulse of energy within it. It was more than a tool. It was a key. A key to understanding the visions. A key to understanding himself.
And Beom Seok knew, with an unshakable certainty, that this was just the beginning.