Daion ran with his heart pounding out of control. The Hellseaker's roar thundered through the cave, drawing closer with every second. His legs burned; every step was agony, but stopping wasn't an option. Not now. Not after leaving a man behind to save himself. The soldier's screams still drilled into his mind.
Jack was waiting at the exit, muscles taut, eyes locked on him.
"Move, damn it!" he roared. "Haruka, get ready! When I say, blow the entrance!"
Haruka nodded, nervous. She stretched out her hand, whispered an incantation, and fire bloomed from her palm, casting a glow over the fuel barrels stacked near the exit.
Fifteen meters. The fresh air felt within reach. But then—pain. Something monstrous yanked him back with brutal force. The Hellseaker had seized his leg.
Panic twisted his gut. The beast raised its mace and brought it down. Daion barely managed to raise his sword. The impact was catastrophic: the blade was ripped from his grip, clattering against the stone with a shrill metallic ring.
"No!" Finn shouted, opening fire. Bullets tore into the monster, but it barely flinched.
The Hellseaker let out a guttural growl and sank its claws into Daion's leg. Pain tore through him like molten fire. A scream ripped from his throat as he gasped in ragged, broken breaths. Fear. Desperation. His hands clawed uselessly at the creature's hide.
"Shit, I can't kill it!" Finn yelled.
Then… a tingling in his arm. A strange heat. The gauntlet. His mind flashed back to Haruka's gem blazing when she called forth fire. Could I do the same?
He clenched his jaw, focusing on the sensation. He raised his palm toward the Hellseaker, begging for something to happen. Nothing. The monster snarled and drove its claws into his side. The pain was so excruciating his senses began to fade, his body refusing to obey.
Daion screamed. His muscles seized, blood soaking his clothes as his vision blurred.
At the entrance, Jack clenched his fists. He could run to help. But if he did, the Devourers would escape. And if those creatures got out, he himself would become their eternal prey.
Maybe… the only choice is to leave Daion behind, he thought, teeth grinding, desperately searching for a way out.
"This is his fault!" Minjae spat. "He got us into this! He deserves to stay there!"
"Shut up!" Haruka screamed, her voice breaking with fury.
Jack closed his eyes for a second, cursing silently. Then he spoke, firm:
"If a Devourer gets close, destroy the entrance."
Haruka swallowed hard, trembling.
Finn kept firing, but the Hellseaker didn't even flinch. Daion, barely clinging to consciousness, felt his arm trembling—the gauntlet was glowing. The monster tore its claws free from his body and raised them for the killing blow. In its burning eyes there was only one desire: to kill.
"No…" Daion clenched his teeth. He wasn't going to die. Not here.
With the last of his strength, he screamed… and his arm burst into a blinding light. A blast of pure energy ripped through the Hellseaker's skull. Half its face disintegrated in a rain of burning flesh and boiling blood. The recoil shattered the bones in Daion's right hand, and a scream of sheer agony tore from his throat.
The beast staggered back. Daion gasped, his body on the verge of collapse. His arm burned as if it were melting from the inside out. There was no time for pain. He forced himself to move. His wounded leg threatened to give way, but he had to run. Ten meters more. Haruka saw the Devourers advancing—a tide of twisted shadows.
And the Hellseaker… was still standing. It wasn't regenerating; its face smoldered, dazed. But it still had strength. It heard Daion's steps, the Devourers' advance, and drove its feet into the stone, preparing to charge.
Jack's throat tightened.
"Haruka, NOW!"
She raised her hand, flame burning, ready to strike. But she hesitated. Daion hadn't crossed yet. Her breath quickened as she aimed at the barrel. She didn't want to do it, couldn't just let him die. But if she didn't, what would happen to all of them?
"Wait!" Finn shouted. He raised a hand, murmuring a chant under his breath. The air vibrated. A sphere of compressed energy formed in his palm. "Close your eyes!"
The sphere exploded as it was released. A blinding light flooded the cave. The Devourers shrieked, disoriented, while the Hellseaker stumbled, confused by the howls of its own creatures.
"Run, Daion!" Jack roared.
Even if you say that… I can't anymore, damn it. His body tensed with each step, his vision sinking with every drop of blood he lost. At this rate, I'll bleed out. The thought of dying felt strangely familiar. His body, as if remembering that sensation, unleashed its final spark of adrenaline.
Daion leapt, crossing the threshold and collapsing beside Haruka.
Jack closed his eyes for a second, cursing silently. Then he spoke, firm:
Haruka reacted instantly, hurling a fireball straight at the fuel barrels. The flames erupted… but nothing happened. Time seemed to freeze.
"What the hell?" Minjae gasped.
Daion's breathing grew ragged.
"Haruka… does your magic trigger explosions?" She shook her head, teeth clenched.
"I… I haven't reached that level yet." A cold shiver ran down Daion's spine.
Fire alone won't ignite the fuel instantly. His mind raced, squeezing every drop of blood left feeding his brain.
"The fire is heating the liquid, but we need the vapors to ignite."
Jack cursed, glancing back toward the cave. The Hellseaker was recovering, and the Devourers were beginning to regroup.
"Then what the hell do we do?!" he roared.
Daion's mind clicked.
"Idiots!" he bellowed in frustration, raising his shattered right hand. His sword flew back to him; he grabbed it as best he could, forcing his broken fingers to obey. "A flammable liquid has to come in direct contact with fire! Otherwise, you'll only heat it!"
Without hesitation, he hurled the blade. It pierced one of the barrels, and liquid began to drip down the steel. The lone soldier who had managed to escape stared in terror. At the far end, the Hellseaker roared and charged again.
"HARUKA!" Daion shouted. She flinched. Jack stared at him, confused, not understanding his intent.
"For hell's sake, hurry—more fire!"
Haruka moved on instinct. She charged another sphere of flame as the Hellseaker reached the entrance and the Devourers swarmed in a frenzy over the soldier's fresh blood. Haruka hurled the fireball, this time at the sword.
In a split second, flames raced along the blade and seeped into the barrel. The Hellseaker leapt, claws extended, ready to tear them apart. Then, the vapors ignited. A brutal explosion shook the cave. The blast threw everyone to the ground and struck the monster head-on as the ceiling collapsed on top of it.
Chunks of rock fell like meteors. Shattered remnants of Devourers were blasted in every direction, and Daion's sword was flung away like a projectile, slicing past them as it flew.
The roar of the blast faded. Only an unbearable ringing and the ragged breaths of the survivors remained. Daion could barely stay on his feet. His clothes were soaked with his own blood, and predator entrails still clung to him.
But rage burned hotter than pain. Daion glared at Jack with fury.
"You didn't even know how to blow up a damn barrel?" he spat, legs trembling.
Jack shifted uncomfortably.
"…It was our first time using explosives—I thought it would be simple…"
"You made me haul volatile fuel without knowing how it worked? Are you an idiot?" Jack scowled but didn't answer.
Before Daion could speak again, a pained groan froze them all in place. They turned as one. The only guard left alive was slumped against a rock a few meters away, struggling to breathe. Daion's gaze lowered slowly, seeing how the ground was darkening with blood spilling from his body. And right in his chest… was Daion's sword, still smoking.
The soldier tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Daion stood paralyzed at the sight. What… what just happened?
Jack and Finn stared in shock at the body; Haruka covered her mouth with both hands; even Minjae looked shaken.
Then, a deep, bone-chilling sound rumbled behind them. The rock shifted.
The Hellseaker, still buried under the rubble, began to rise. With its last strength, the beast roared and swiped at Daion with its claws.
Jack reacted instantly. He lunged at Daion, knocking him to the ground, then spun and hurled himself at the corrupted creature. With a swift motion, his short sword pierced through the monster's mouth, driving straight into its skull.
The Hellseaker went still. But then… its body convulsed. Jack barely had time to wrench the blade free before the creature's flesh burst apart, drenching them in boiling blood and entrails. The stench of death was suffocating.
Jack clenched his teeth.
"I…"
"Don't you dare say you're sorry. You don't have the right to say that." Daion staggered back to his feet, trying to move closer. His legs still trembled.
Haruka ran to the soldier, desperate to stop the bleeding. But her efforts were futile. The man's breathing grew weaker… until he let out one final, heavy breath.
We failed.
Daion's mind churned. He didn't know whether to cry, scream in frustration, or simply collapse. He had abandoned one man… and killed another. Yet his expression remained unshaken. He looked at his hands; his vision flickered, overlapping with unintelligible images.
A world drowned in red. Blood spread across the ground like an endless pool. And in that silence, an irritating voice buzzed in his ear through the comm. He clenched his fists in frustration. Daion trembled, anger and guilt boiling beneath the crushing weight of exhaustion.
"We did what we could," Jack said, trying to calm things down.
"Go to hell." Daion turned on him.
He threw a punch at Jack, but his strength failed him. Darkness swallowed him as he collapsed. Jack watched for a moment, then signaled to the group.
"Carry him. We're heading back to SteelWall."
They withdrew, believing it was over. But deep within the forest, something stirred. Heavy footsteps echoed in the gloom: creatures returning home. And what they found was only ruin. Their lair, destroyed. Their kin, slaughtered.
Black.
Daion's body burned. His muscles convulsed, moving against his will.
A voice echoed in his mind. Laughter. Mocking. He recognized it instantly. He tried to scream, to curse… but no sound came. The image of that god flickered in his thoughts like a specter.
Don't tell me… did you really think you'd be the hero? The visions shattered. Keep this up, and the only thing you'll achieve is death.
The voice faded.
Daion was left adrift in the void. Alone. For what felt like hours, he drifted between dream and reality… until a searing pain shot through his arm.
His eyes snapped open, dazed. He looked around: he was sitting on a log before a campfire, breathing heavily. Looking down at his hand, he saw no trace of the glove. Reaching back, he found an assault rifle slung over his shoulder. His clothes were different now… a military uniform.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," said a woman's voice.
He turned. A young woman stood there, a faint scar on her lip, blond hair framing a face uncannily similar to the innkeeper's. She smiled playfully as she handed him a steaming can of food.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I… who are you?"
"Who am I?" she echoed. Her face twisted; blood began to seep from her orifices as her eyes were swallowed by darkness.
The dream thickened, suffocating. He blinked… and reality shifted.
He was standing in the middle of a building. Before him lay the corpses of several women and children. His rifle still smoked in his hands. His eyes quivered with terror and guilt he couldn't comprehend.
What is this? His head throbbed. He blinked again: now a gas mask covered his face, choking his breath. The blonde woman stood beside him, firing gleefully as the air around them swirled with a sickly green haze.
Memories? Now what the hell am I supposed to—?
Another shift. He stood at the edge of a rooftop, one step away from falling into the void. But something felt wrong. Raising his gaze, the sky split open, and with titanic presence, that idiotic god loomed over the firmament as a spectral entity, smiling with cruel sarcasm.
Do you want to know what lies deep in your mind? The arrogant voice thundered inside his skull.
Daion clutched his ears and screamed in his sleep. Incomprehensible images battered his thoughts.
Please, make it stop! he begged inwardly, staggering. I don't care to know—I just want this to end!
"It's not worth me living—I just want to die!" he shouted without understanding why those words left his mouth, and slipped from the ledge.
Gasping, he shot upright. His right arm burned, as if acid had been poured over his skin. Looking down, he saw it: dark veins crawled out from beneath the glove, spreading like unnatural threads under his flesh, corruption writhing beneath his skin.
The crackle of the fire dragged him back to reality. Twin suns dipped into the horizon. The metallic stench of blood hung in the air, mingling with the bitter taste of medicine still lingering in his mouth.
"Your arm looks bad," Jack's voice cut through his confusion. He was awake again. "It showed up after I transferred the Hellseeker's energy into you."
Daion stiffened.
"You… what?"
He swallowed hard, throat suddenly dry. Instinctively, he opened his interface:
Omega Energy absorbed: 140Ω
His glove looked… darker. No other change. But he felt different.
Jack went on:
"The first transformation happens at 250 points. You've been unconscious for hours. We already claimed the reward and were about to leave, but—"
Daion staggered to his feet and grabbed him by the collar.
"How the hell can you talk to me like nothing happened?"
Jack blinked.
"What?"
Daion's grip tightened.
"You made me let a man die!"
Jack's expression hardened.
"That was your choice." The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Daion's jaw clenched—rage, frustration boiling inside him.
"Because you threatened to leave me behind! I don't want to die, but I can't stop hearing his screams. And because of your incompetence… I killed another man. What kind of leader does that?" Jack exhaled sharply.
"Listen… without me, you'd already be dead. You're just a rookie who knows nothing."
Daion's fists trembled. Jack shoved him back with brutal force, sending him crashing to the ground with a painful thud. The difference in strength was undeniable. The air grew heavy. Haruka and Finn shifted uncomfortably—Daion had barely noticed them. Off to the side, Minjae watched with amusement.
"You let him die," Daion accused again.
"Yes. To survive." Jack didn't hesitate. A chill crawled down Daion's spine.
He didn't even hesitate… he whispered. I was a coward. I let him die. But you… you never questioned it, did you?
He was shaking. Despite the fire's warmth, he felt cold. Jack crossed his arms.
"Of course I questioned it. But this world has only one rule: survive." Daion squeezed his eyes shut. "And hesitation can mean death."
"Did you hesitate when you told Haruka to bring down the cave?"
Jack fell silent for a moment.
"Of course. But it was either you or—"
Daion's stomach churned.
"So you'd leave any of us behind if it meant surviving." It wasn't a question. Jack stood frozen.
Daion took a step forward, raising his voice.
"You wouldn't do it, would you?!"
"I'D DO EVERYTHING TO AVOID IT!" Jack exploded for the first time. "But if I have to choose between a stranger and the people under my command… my choice is clear."
Stranger… Daion echoed in his mind. Right. We've only known each other a few days, haven't we?
Silence. Jack turned away and walked toward the fire. The conversation was over. Haruka hugged her knees, curling into herself. Finn watched Jack with an unreadable expression. Anger? Pity? Maybe both. Minjae only sighed before slipping back into his dumb hero pose. Daion swallowed hard.
"If it were an entire village… if we had to risk our lives to save them, what would you do?"
Jack barely glanced over his shoulder. Daion's eye twitched; the vision of those bodies struck him again for a fleeting moment.
"The right thing." Daion's chest tightened.
That's… not an answer, you bastard. But he didn't press further. His body still weak, he sank down beside Finn and Haruka. His sword rested against his back.
Finn kept his eyes on the fire. Haruka traced patterns in the dirt, lost in thought. Daion stared into the flames. The soldier's screams still echoed in his head, but now they blended with others he didn't recognize.
His hands trembled as he remembered the man he had killed.
If that guy had screamed, his voice would haunt me too… Why does it feel like I'm repeating the same mistakes?
"Why didn't that thing die when I blew its head off? And… how the hell did I even do that?"
Finn looked at him—not with pity, but with understanding. He was a rookie too. Maybe he'd already gone through this.
"Hellseekers are scouts. Technically low-ranking demons, but still a pain to deal with," he explained. "They move ahead of an attack to gather intel, so they're built tougher."
He shrugged.
"As for what you did… no idea. Never seen anything like it. Looked like, since you don't have abilities, you just released pure Omega energy." His tone didn't sound convinced. More like he was just trying to calm Daion down.
But then… something clicked hard in Daion's mind.
"Wait. You said Hellseekers show up before an attack…" His voice was tense.
Finn frowned.
"Yeah… why?" Haruka returned his look, just as confused. Then Finn understood. His face turned pale.
"That means… SteelWall—"
He didn't finish. The city's bells rang out. Loud. Urgent. Their echo carried through the trees like an omen. Finn and Haruka shot to their feet.
"The bells…" Haruka whispered.
Daion frowned.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
A figure stepped out of the shadows: Minjae. His expression said it all. Jack shot up, turning toward the city, jaw tight.
"They only ring when—" The ground shook. A deafening roar tore through the air. Fire. Smoke. Explosions. SteelWall was under attack. Daion's heart sank. He turned to his team. Everyone had drawn their weapons. He took a step forward, ready to run… but no one followed. He turned back.
All eyes were on Jack. Waiting. Jack stood frozen, gaze locked on the smoke rising in the distance. His fists clenched. Daion met his eyes.
For a fraction of a second, Jack's expression faltered.
Right after I said I'd do the right thing… what are the damn odds? Should we go? If they're just low-rank demons, it shouldn't be hard to win… but there's only five of us. If a mid-rank Corrupted shows up—or worse, a high-rank one—we could…
Jack drew a deep breath. His expression hardened. Then he spoke:
"We're leaving."