Ryu looked up at the sky. The black smoke between the distant mountains was growing darker and thicker. His face was no longer calm like a tourist's—there was a gleam in his eyes, the kind of gleam only a hunter possesses.
"High-Level Entity, huh? Finally, something worth watching."
The villagers stared at him with a mix of fear and hope.
"Sir, don't go there… death awaits!" an old man said in a trembling voice.
Ryu gave him a casual smile.
"Death is only for those who can die."
He lightly adjusted his golden cloak and began to walk. With each step, the grass bent beneath his feet, and an eerie pressure spread through the air, as if something immense was about to happen. Near the mountain's edge, the forest had turned into a broken, scorched wasteland. The trees were burning, and a massive black wolf had surrounded its prey with a ring of creatures. Black flames burst from its body, and its crimson eyes burned with fury.
Ryu glanced at its level for a moment, and a faintly mocking smile touched his lips.
"Level 4500? You don't even qualify as a warm-up. All right then, let's play a little game."
The wolf lunged at him without hesitation. Ryu simply snapped his fingers—a transparent barrier appeared, and the wolf crashed into it, thrown backward as deep cracks split the ground.
"Tch tch… so quick to anger?"
Ryu made a small gesture with his finger, and a golden magic circle began spinning around him. A gravitational pull spread through the forest, dragging the smaller corrupted monsters together until they crumbled into dust. The wolf roared, releasing black flames, and leapt again. Ryu took a single step forward and instantly appeared right before it. Placing his hand on the wolf's head, he said softly,
"Sleep."
The wolf's red eyes dimmed in an instant, and it collapsed with a heavy thud.
Ryu flicked his hand and spoke slowly,
"Was that it? Is Hardcore Mode going to stay this boring?"
As he said that, the system window lit up—
Warning: Sealed Memory Fragment Triggered
A small blue projection appeared before him—it was his old avatar, standing on a battlefield where thousands of players were dying, a gentle smile resting on his face.
"If I ever come back… maybe I'll meet them all again… those who've forgotten me."
Ryu fell silent for a moment. His face was calm, but his eyes reflected the return of an old ache. He reached out a hand toward the blue projection, but it vanished abruptly.
"…Are you all here?"
For a brief moment, the air was completely still—but then a sharp cracking sound echoed. Behind him, a black tear opened in the air, as if space itself was ripping apart. From that rift came a cold and terrifying aura that withered the trees around it. The system blared a warning—
Emergency Alert: Dimensional Rift Opening – Unknown Boss Entity Emerging
Ryu slowly turned around. The rift was deepening, and from it emerged a massive black claw. The ground trembled, trees fell, and the air filled with a strange sense of pain. The old arrogant smile returned to Ryu's lips. He snapped his fingers lightly, golden light swirling around him.
"Finally… something interesting."
The black claw struck the ground with a loud crash. From the rift, a colossal dark beast slowly emerged, its red eyes glowing, its presence tearing the air apart. Its gaze locked on Ryu, and for a moment, even the wind stopped. Ryu stepped forward and said softly,
"Warm-up's over… let's play the real game."
And the moment he spoke, the dark beast charged at him. Ryu extended his hand, and before their collision, the air exploded with a deafening blast.
The echo of the explosion spread through the air, shaking the trees and scattering the dust. The dark beast, which had emerged from the rift, hung in the air for a second before crashing onto the ground, its massive body creating deep fissures in the earth. Its red eyes fixed on Ryu, and it let out a roar that echoed through the forest.
Ryu adjusted his golden cloak and took a deep breath, as if preparing for a simple workout.
"You've got some style… let's see how long you can keep me entertained."
The beast, enraged, charged straight toward him. With every step, the ground quaked, and the air cracked under its aura, as if reality itself was burning. Ryu stood still, his face utterly calm, his eyes watching the creature's every movement casually.
The beast lunged and swung a massive claw at him. In an instant, Ryu was above its head, suspended in the air. Golden magic symbols floated around him.
"First step… warm-up finished."
Ryu snapped his hand downward. The golden symbols began to spin, and a massive golden spear erupted from the ground, piercing the beast's claw and throwing it backward. The beast roared, black lightning crackling across its body.
It leapt toward Ryu again, but Ryu simply smiled faintly and waved his hand. A golden ring formed around the beast, pulling its body inward.
"Do you know how to dance? Let me teach you."
The ring spun faster, but the beast's black aura shattered it. Ryu looked slightly surprised and checked the system.
Boss Name: Abyssal Rift Beast – Level ???
Warning: Power Synchronizing with Dimensional Core
Ryu let out a short laugh and cracked his knuckles.
"All right then… I'll make sure I don't stay bored this time."
In a blink, he was right in front of the beast. He placed his hand on its chest and said softly,
"Break."
A golden shockwave burst forth, leaving a massive wound across the beast's body. The ground shook violently, trees splintered apart, and the beast howled in pain—but in its red eyes, there was something different. It wasn't fear—it looked like… memory.
For a moment, Ryu paused. He stared into the beast's eyes, and his expression softened.
"You're… not afraid. You look at me… like you know me."
The beast's half-human face slowly curved into a strange smile. It spoke a single word—
"…Ryu."
Ryu's eyes widened slightly. His face remained calm, but a strange emotion stirred within him.
"You… know my name?"
The beast's red eyes softened for a moment, and it said quietly,
"…You won't remember… but we've met before."
Ryu's smile faded. For the first time, there was curiosity and a faint trace of concern in his eyes. He slowly lowered his hand. The forest had gone silent, the air was cool, and they simply stared at each other—a hunter and a creature who might not be enemies after all.
And in that moment, a new notification flashed across Ryu's system—
Secret Quest Unlocked: Forgotten Bonds
Ryu looked at the screen, then at the beast, and spoke softly,
"…Interesting. You're not just monsters."
There was a faint human sorrow on the beast's face, and for the first time, Ryu was thinking before he fought.
—To Be Continued