The world around him twisted like broken glass, the air bending unnaturally as if reality itself had turned hostile. Lee Hyun stood there alone, his chest rising and falling heavily, his grip tightening around the hilt of the Demon's Sword as the demonic aura around him flickered violently.
The ground beneath his feet had already cracked from the pressure of the unseen enemy, yet he still could not sense where it was, not even with his heightened perception or Player Insight. That single realization sent a cold wave through his mind, not fear, but something far worse… frustration.
He had already sent Min Seoah away. That alone was enough to keep him standing. A low, distorted laughter echoed through the surroundings, as if it came from every direction at once.
"You sent her away… how touching… how pathetic… But your method was amazing. Even I can't track her path. What was that method?"
The voice carried amusement, but beneath it was something ancient, something cruel beyond reason.
Lee Hyun slowly lifted his head, his eyes now completely different, dark and burning with suppressed rage.
"If you wanted to play… then come out."
His voice was calm, but the killing intent behind it was suffocating. The next second, the air in front of him shattered. A figure appeared.
It was tall, unnaturally so, its body thin yet stretched like a shadow pulled beyond its limits. Its face was twisted, a permanent grin carved into it, eyes hollow yet glowing faintly with a sickening light. Its entire existence felt wrong, like something that did not belong in the natural order.
A high-level illusion-type entity. And far beyond anything he had faced before. Before he could react, the monster moved without giving any warning or sound. Just disappearance… and then impact.
A massive force slammed into Lee Hyun's side, sending his body crashing across the ground like a broken arrow. The earth shattered beneath him as he rolled, blood spilling from his mouth as his ribs screamed in pain.
He forced himself up barely. His body trembled, yet his grip on the sword did not loosen.
"You survived that… interesting…"
The monster tilted its head, watching him like a toy that refused to break. Lee Hyun wiped the blood from his lips and stood straight again, even though his body was already reaching its limit.
"I told you…"
His voice came out rough, but steady.
"If you want to kill me… do it properly."
The monster smiled wider. Then it vanished again. This time, Lee Hyun didn't wait.
"Void Domain."
The moment the words left his lips, the world froze. A dark sphere expanded outward from him, swallowing everything within its radius. Time halted, space bent, and silence consumed the battlefield. Inside the domain… he was the ruler.
For the first time, he saw it clearly. The monster. It was mid-motion, its claw inches away from his neck. A cold smile appeared on Lee Hyun's face.
"So this is where you were hiding…"
Dark energy gathered around his blade, the Devouring Edge activating instinctively, pulling in the surrounding demonic and distorted energy like a vortex. Within the frozen world, he moved step by step, calm and precisely.
His sword traced through the air, leaving behind a faint crimson glow as energy condensed to its peak. Then time resumed. A massive explosion erupted.
The attack landed directly on the monster's body, sending it flying backward as the ground collapsed beneath the impact. Black blood splattered across the battlefield, and for the first time, its expression changed. Not fear but surprise.
Lee Hyun dropped to one knee. His breathing became heavy, his vision slightly blurred. Even with his improved control, Void Domain still took a toll when used at this level.
But the monster… was still alive. It stood up slowly, its twisted grin returning, though part of its body had been torn apart.
"Amazing… truly amazing…"
Its voice became deeper, more distorted.
"But still… not enough."
Before Lee Hyun could react, it disappeared again. This time, he couldn't follow. A sharp pain pierced through his back. The claw went straight through his body. He froze. Blood spilled out, warm and heavy. The monster leaned close to his ear, whispering.
"You chose to send her away… now die alone."
For a moment… everything went silent. Then Lee Hyun smiled.
"…good."
The monster paused.
"…what?"
Lee Hyun coughed out blood, but his eyes remained steady.
"As long as she's safe… this is enough."
The monster's expression twisted.
"You're still smiling…?"
Lee Hyun slowly raised his sword again, even with the claw still inside his body.
"You talk too much."
The next second, demonic energy exploded from his body. The Demon's Sword reacted violently, glowing with a deep crimson light as the devouring ability intensified beyond its normal state. It began absorbing not just ambient energy… but even the energy connected to the monster itself. The creature's expression finally changed.
"What… are you doing…?"
Lee Hyun's voice dropped, colder than ever before.
"Taking everything from you."
The energy around him surged wildly, unstable yet overwhelming. Even in his injured state… he was forcing everything out. A final attack. A suicidal one. The monster tried to pull back, but it was too late.
"Die."
The explosion that followed was massive. A pillar of dark and crimson energy shot into the sky, shaking the entire battlefield as the ground caved in from the impact. The shockwave spread outward, destroying everything in its path.
Silence followed. Dust filled the air. And in the center of it all… Lee Hyun stood barely. His body was covered in blood, his breathing shallow, his vision fading. In front of him, the monster's body collapsed… lifeless. He had won. But at a cost. His legs gave out. As he fell, his grip on the sword loosened, the crimson glow fading slowly.
His thoughts drifted. Not to the battle or the pain, but to her. A small smile appeared on his face.
"Atleast.., she's safe…"
And then darkness took over and everything faded.
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To be continued..