The obsidian heart cracked like glass under pressure it was never meant to hold.
Lines of white light split across its surface, revealing something pulsing inside — a core of raw sin, ancient and unfiltered.
Vera stared at it. "That's the origin?"
Kaelya: "The System's root code… it's alive."
Jiwoon stepped closer. With every step, the system voice flickered:
[Warning…]
[Core Stability: Declining…]
[Function Override: Inbound…]
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
From beneath the stairs, something crawled upward — a being made of corrupted system data, dragging a black staff.
"So, you've reached the top…"
A new enemy emerged — but it wasn't human.
Its face was a patchwork of every sinner Jiwoon had purged, all fused into one. Its voice carried dozens of tones.
"You call yourself the Debt Hunter. But debts don't end. They collect interest."
Jiwoon narrowed his eyes. "And you are?"
"The Overdue."
⸻
[Boss Encounter – Manifestation of the Overdue]
Type: System Corruption Entity
Threat Level: Cataclysmic
Objective: Purify or be absorbed
⸻
The Overdue attacked instantly, slamming the black staff into the ground.
A ripple of reality distortion shot out — warping space around Jiwoon and his team.
Kaelya's blade melted. Vera's divine mark flickered.
Jiwoon: "It's rewriting everything. Even our powers."
But Jiwoon didn't step back.
He raised his hand. The black lotus coin he'd been holding glowed.
"I've seen what happens when I fall. That's not today."
⸻
[Demon Awakening – Full Phase Initiated]
New Form: Sin Avatar: Dragon Aspect
Jiwoon's body became engulfed in black flame — not destructive, but controlled. His eyes glowed crimson, and from his back, two dragonic wings unfolded.
The Overdue paused.
"That… shouldn't exist."
Jiwoon flew forward, voice calm.
"Neither should you."
The clash shook the heart itself.
Screams. Explosions. System alerts raining like meteors.
But Jiwoon wasn't losing control — he was reforging it.