'I hunt to temper my soul and body, chasing the eternal heavens just like the two before me. But my era is a little different.'
The sky burned crimson, as if it too bore the blame for the gaping wounds scattered across the battlefield—witnesses to the brutal hunt that night.
Even the monster that rained blood upon the blackened earth shuddered, mourning its grim fate.
'Isn't he also a monster, disguised as a man? Perhaps the rumors are true—the Northern Hunter drinks the blood of hell!'
Screams and roars collided with the shrill clang of blades.
The ground beneath their feet had turned to mud, soaked with the blood that gushed from the hearts of monsters, pouring endlessly after enduring the torture of the Northern Hunter.
But he wasn't alone. Another hunter had appeared, disrupting his hunt.
A savage wound tore through the wrist of Bin, the Southern Hunter, exposing the pale white of his bone. It seemed the claw of a monster had ripped deeply through his fresh flesh.
Still, he tried to hold tightly to his silver sky blade.
At the very least, this wound was earned in battle.
Bin was still a little stunned by the presence of this hunter. He looked him over, from crown to toe, not spotting a single injury.
'This guy looks absolutely insane. Maybe he's a demon in disguise!'
He kept a wary gaze on Zhen, the last hope of the Northern clan. Hunters were always on edge when hearing of the "Cursed Hunter"—the only human left alive after the great explosion in the Northern region. They called it the "Northern Doomsday Blast."
'The Northern Hunters have a history of brutal, mysterious, and terrifying predecessors, don't they?'
At least, that much he still remembered—back when the instructors at the clan academy used to speak in hushed tones about the two legendary figures of the Northern Clan.
Zhen was highly attuned to being watched. He began scanning the movements of the official hunter, who still seemed to be processing the situation across from him.
But the intensity of that gaze felt more like a warning. It tracked the subtle flickers of his camouflage. Northern Hunters disliked overly bright or flashy colors—this was one of his hidden weaknesses.
'Damn those pupils.'
He had a deep urge to gouge out those green-tinted eyes with his skilled fingers.
'My pet would love to have them.'
'Eyes that dazzle and disrupt a hunt deserve to be collected.'
Suddenly, the voice of the system broke his focus.
[Hell Hunting System Activated]
[Target]: Bin – Southern Hunter
[Clan] : South
[Class] : Blood Rager
[Skills] : 2 primary skills | 5 variant skills
[Threat Level] : Normal
[Location] : Blackened Land
[Reward] :
• 50,000,000 Goldi
• Silver Sky Blade
"What a waste of my time," Zhen muttered in his thoughts.
Bin caught the glint in those eyes—a subtle flicker that burned with disdain, carrying a cold hatred sharp enough to pierce through bone. Worse still, the killing intent had reached his senses long before that glare ever did. Its scent had already invaded his nose.
No doubt about it. He's hunting me.
[Hell Hunting System Activated]
[Target]: Zhen, Northern Hunter
[Clan]: North
[Class]: Hellblade Executor
[Threat Level]: Undetected
[Skills]: 7 primary skills | 13 variant skills
[Location]: Blackened Land
[Completion Conditions]:
• Inflict at least 90% bodily damage
• Seal the Wind Soul
• Seal Three Pet Skulls
[Threat Analysis]:
• Target shows extreme resistance to sealing techniques
• Target's domain is cloaked in a protective mist
• Abnormal soul energy interference detected
[Failure Prediction]: 90%
[Warning!]: If you fail, your soul will be absorbed.
[Reward]:
• 1,000,000,000 Goldi
• Five Legendary Swords
'Three pet skulls? A Goldi hoarder? Damn it! That's tempting... but impossible. Damn it!'
Bin exhaled slowly, trying to calm the pounding in his chest. He knew this was no ordinary hunt. It was a gamble—and the winner had already been decided.
He steadied himself. Rising with movements as smooth as silk, both his axe and sword pulsed with thirst.
"So, you're the Northern Hunter, huh?" Bin's voice rang out, rough yet strangely absurd.
But the other man didn't answer. He responded only with a blank, indifferent stare.
'Was it true, then? Was he really... the mute hunter?'
"This battle will mean nothing if your goal is to destroy the Hell System. I'm warning you, Cursed Hunter! The world of the system doesn't belong to you. This is the era of victory for Official Blood Hunters—like me—who will hunt every demon and monster and seal them to build a new world!"
Finally, Bin voiced the mission he had kept hidden for so long. He felt satisfied, even relieved. The words came out perfectly, just as he had always rehearsed them in his mind.
Zhen furrowed his brow slightly, standing still as he watched this disgusting man boast.
Empty barrels make the loudest noise.
Southern Hunters were Official Blood Hunters—boring, overly talkative, and full of nonsense.
They were just pawns, driven by the system.
"You're right, Official Blood Hunter."
"The System's world isn't mine. But it's not yours either. The Hell System is a prison for cursed demons and monsters. I acknowledge that truth. And if I have to die today, then I will die as a Northern Hunter."
Bin was stunned.
Wasn't he supposed to be mute or something?
Everyone in Oliga hated Northern Hunters—and yet…
He could speak.
He wasn't mute.
"What's wrong? Disappointed?"
"My voice ruins the perfect illusion you built around me? Too perfect for a cursed hunter, isn't it?"
Zhen brushed his hair back, revealing a dagger-sharp glare that stabbed deeper than any blade.
His words ignited a fire in Bin. He felt insulted—as if his status as an Official Blood Hunter meant nothing.
"A brutal hunter like you is still controlled by the system too! You never even trained in Oliga, the central region. You were probably trained by northern bears!"
So arrogant.
Bin would never admit another hunter's superiority—not as long as he could still stand. He believed his reputation in Oliga was more than enough.
Though deep down, he knew the truth. Defeating Zhen wouldn't be easy. Just one step, one strike, and it would all be over. The thought alone made him arrive at a dangerous conclusion—a conclusion that led to speculation he didn't dare say out loud.
He began speculating about the source of the Northern Hunter's power.
'You must be in league with those demon sects and monsters!'
"I can hear you," Zhen interrupted, his voice soft—almost like a prayer.
Startled, Bin's face twisted in restrained fury. He had made up his mind. He lunged forward, sword in hand.
His Silver Sky Blade was aimed to sever the Cursed Hunter's throat.
Unfortunately for him, just seconds earlier, Zhen had already cast a spell.
The Southern Hunter was too confident.
By the time his motion slowed unnaturally, he realized something was wrong. His arms felt heavier, as though pinned beneath a massive stone. Bin held his breath, watching his blade crawl through the air like it was trapped in molasses.
"Damn you!"
"This is magic!"
•••
Zhen had activated his magic skill: Exorcist's Wrath—a spell that sent shockwaves through the earth, splitting it open with bursts of flame. The clash of steel still echoed all around them, but time itself seemed to slow. Each second dragged by with suffocating tension, pressing harder on the Southern Hunter's chest.
'This... this is holy energy. It burns demons within a certain radius. What a fool I am! Damn it! Why would he use that skill on me?!'
"Cursed Hunter! You sly, terrifying bastard! Damn you!"
The weight of Zhen's strike wasn't something a normal human could bear. But Bin wasn't an ordinary human either.
"You've already sold half your soul to the system. Of course you can withstand my strike."
That dreadful smile spread across Zhen's lips—revealing fangs barely hidden beneath.
Those words hit like an arrow, sinking directly into Bin's chest. His face paled. No one was supposed to know.
In the short silence that followed, their eyes met—his gaze trapped by Zhen's dark irises, pierced by that chilling smile carved just for him.
A hungry wolf had just found the perfect prey.
"Loser." Zhen whispered it, his voice raspy and cutting straight to the core.
Bin was thrown back several meters from the sudden force. His body rolled across the ground as he coughed up blood, the metallic taste coating his tongue. But he forced himself to focus. He wouldn't give in. He had been humiliated.
"An Official Blood Hunter does not deserve humiliation!"
He gripped his sword tighter, even as his body resisted him, trembling from the impact.
"Is that all you've got?"
"So... this is the face of the Official Blood Hunter who would create a new era?"
Bin didn't answer. His breathing grew heavier.
He knew this game well. Break the mind, and the body would follow.
I am an Official Blood Hunter trained to surpass fear. At the very least, I still believe in my instincts... and in this last hope I hold.
Suddenly, a voice called his name from the distance.
"Bin!"
It was Lyn. A Central Hunter. The only one still standing beside him.
She cast a protective spell—a holy shield meant to dampen the effects of Exorcist's Wrath. At least she tried. Though both of them knew it was only a matter of time before her strength would fade.
"Do it now!" Lyn shouted, her eyes pleading.
She urged him to chant the same spell, to create another sacred shield. But it was too late. Bin could no longer say the words.
The blood flowing in his veins had already been tainted—with demon blood.
Zhen understood immediately what the female hunter's plea truly meant.
"I can't..." Bin murmured, barely audible over the crackling magic consuming him.
Zhen smiled, unbothered.
"Oh. This will be fun. And completely meaningless."
A rush of dread crashed over Lyn. The Northern Hunter—spoken of in whispers and fear—was now standing right before her.
This was real.
"Do whatever it takes to stay alive, Bin!" she screamed again.
Bin clenched his teeth.
"Fine."
Bin began raising his sword high above his head. Whispering voices echoed around him, and the blade started to glow. The power of the system answered his call, eager to merge with the half-soul he had traded.
Scarlet flames wrapped around the blade, burning brighter with each passing second.
"YOU WILL LOSE YOURSELF!" the voice warned. "ONCE YOU CALL ME, THERE IS NO WAY BACK!"
"I don't care! If this is the price to kill Zhen, that damned Northern Hunter, then I will pay it," the Southern Hunter growled, rage surging from every corner of his being.
Zhen watched the desperate bargain unfold with detached boredom. One eyebrow rose, but the crooked smile on his lips never faded.
"Kill me? What a shame. You're just wasting my precious time."
In an instant, the red blaze engulfed Bin's entire body. His hair flew like a war banner, and his eyes now blazed like twin suns. A searing heat pulsed through the air, likely summoned by the system from the depths of the seventh hell.
Bin had become one with the system. But that creature standing there was no longer him. His soul had been sold, without a price that could be undone.
"Finally," Zhen said. His tone shifted from mockery to seriousness. He gripped his sword handle tighter. "Show me your strength, soul merchant."
Bin didn't reply. In a single stride, he vanished, shooting toward Zhen like a streak of crimson lightning. His axe came down with full force, his shadow already behind Zhen, who had begun to swing his sword.
Before Zhen's blade could strike the proud armor of the Southern Hunter, a fierce slash tore through the air, merciless and unrelenting. It sliced the edge of Zhen's cloak, sending loose pieces fluttering.
But the Northern Hunter had more than one sword—and more than one hand that moved unseen.
Zhen smiled back, both pleased and cunning.
Blood dripped down the Southern Hunter's temple.
"Damn bastard!" Bin spat.
Though blood streamed down his temple, he tried to remain composed. His grin was wild, and his eyes burned with light.
"Let's end this, you Cursed Hunter from a clan already wiped off the map! Only one hunter walks out of this blackened land!"
Bin shot forward with even greater speed, sending a series of slashes that sliced through the air. Zhen dodged effortlessly, his sword spinning in elegant arcs, sometimes clashing directly against the barrage of frenzied, lightning-fast strikes.
Meanwhile, Lyn was still holding her sacred shield. It was her magical defense against the wrath of the Exorcist. She was a hunter of the Central Clan, but her blood carried the lineage of both the Southern and Eastern clans. Because of this, her magic was reliable. Unfortunately, her dominant bloodline was Southern.
Zhen glanced toward the girl behind the shield of light. He remembered something—his three pets were hungry.
In the midst of the battle, he released the soul cage. Three starving skulls emerged, thrilled and eager.
"Go on… the appetizer is waiting for you."
These terrifying skulls were invisible to most eyes, seen only by Zhen and hunters of the Eastern Clan who had studied the magic arts of Broukirakh.
"You act like a madman!" the Southern Hunter mocked him repeatedly, slashing and swinging both sword and axe.
Zhen blocked the oversized cursed axe with ease.
"I am going mad," he said calmly.
The clash of steel rang through the air, each impact sparking flames and shockwaves that forced Bin to fall back further and further.
"You're not bad… actually," Zhen said in between rapid strikes. His breath remained steady, and his smirk was still there—sharp and unshaken.
"I thought you were the silent type. Turns out your tongue is as sharp as the thorns of hell's cactus!"
Bin roared and swung his axe in a full arc, unleashing a blazing wave of fire straight at Zhen.
"You're wrong," Zhen replied with a calm, mocking tone. "It's sharper than any thorn you've ever met."
Zhen caught the axe with all his strength, but the force still overwhelmed him, slamming his body hard into the ground.
Bin stepped closer, his footsteps heavy with arrogance.
"Look at you! Even with magic on your side, you still lose?"
'I released three pets that feed on magic and souls. Of course the magic would vanish.'
'And that girl's soul across the field… she's fading too.'
Zhen gritted his teeth, struggling to get back on his feet.
"I'm not finished yet, friend," he muttered.
Bin didn't hesitate. Rage consumed him, fueled by his obsession with the Northern Hunter's Goldi. He raised his axe, determined to end it all in one strike. But before the blade could fall, a brilliant blue light exploded across the battlefield, enveloping the Blackened Land.
"Such useful pets," Zhen whispered.