The biggest change over the past two months was my relationship with Apollo. Maybe I still looked like a helpless little sparrow to him, because he took it upon himself to act like a parent bird—just like he warned he would—stepping fully into the role of a guardian. And since my Constellation was acting like that, Lee Myung-won naturally followed suit.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
I almost reflexively called Lee Myung-won “Dad,” but swallowed it just in time. Even as a joke, saying that to a stiff guy like him could trigger consequences I wasn’t ready to deal with.
“I’m fine.”
In the chat window, the two Constellations were still arguing. Ignoring them, I turned to Oh Kwon-hyuk.
“Thanks for saving me.”
“……”
Oh Kwon-hyuk just looked down at me with that same dry gaze. Just like his Constellation, it was obvious he was curious about who I was. With a nod, he moved to stand beside Lee Myung-won.
“By the way, the number of monsters is insane.”
“The dungeon’s large, so we have no idea what might pop out. Stay close. To me, or to him.”
“You want me to stick by the guy who tried to choke me the first time we met?”
Lee Myung-won let out an awkward chuckle.
“Still, it feels strange without Baek Tae-beom around.”
“Well, if Beom had been here, that incident earlier wouldn’t have ended like it did.”
No doubt, the moment Oh Kwon-hyuk grabbed me by the collar, Baek Tae-beom would’ve drawn his sword. Apollo once told me that a Contractor can sometimes grow overly attached to their Constellation.
Since Baek Tae-beom had lost his parents at a young age, maybe he saw me in that role. That would explain his clinginess, or those strange moments when he’d suddenly ask, “What exactly are we?” under some kind of status effect.
“Anyway, let’s finish this quickly and get back.”
“That would be best. This way.”
As we turned the corner of a steep cliff, a massive door came into view. Covered in interlocking gears and overgrown with long vines, it looked ridiculously difficult to open.
“We’ll have to go through this.”
“This door is seriously suspicious.”
“Still, if not this way, we’ll have to find another route.”
Not ideal, but we didn’t have any better options. Lee Myung-won placed a hand on the door and pushed. A faint mechanical whirr followed—but the door didn’t budge.
“I’ll need some help here.”
At his words, Oh Kwon-hyuk stepped up and laid his hand on the door. The massive gate creaked open under his strength.
And then a wave of pitch-black smoke swallowed all five of us in an instant.
“What the hell!”
“I can’t see anything… wait!”
The murmuring voices faded like wind, and soon, I couldn’t hear anything at all. It felt like I’d been plunged into pure silence. The darkness was so thick I swung my arms out, trying to find a wall, but there was no trace of Lee Myung-won, Oh Kwon-hyuk—or even Yoo Jin-woo or Kim Yong-tae. Nothing but endless black.
“Is anyone there?”
Then, the curtain of darkness lifted, revealing something.
Me.
A younger version of myself—frail, empty-handed. My clothes were torn, my eyes brimmed with tears, and my knee was scraped open, probably from a fall. It was a pitiful sight, but I couldn’t help scoffing.
[The language of the Otherworld clouds your vision.]
[Fear and frenzy directed at you have been nullified.]
[The Constellation, ‘One Who Knows of Destruction,’ synchronizes with the Holy Vessel.]
The vision slowly faded from view.
It was clear what kind of monster this was—the kind that pulled out your trauma, wrapped your mind in illusion, and sucked your energy dry. The real body was probably deeper in the fog.
I started walking forward, hand outstretched. With the visibility so low, I hoped to find a wall to guide me. But my fingers brushed something—and the sudden jolt knocked me flat on my back.
My breath caught. As I struggled to lift my head, a shadow loomed over me.
It was just like before. Oh Kwon-hyuk stood over me.
But there wasn’t a shred of reason in his eyes.
Don’t tell me… am I the only one who broke free? Is Oh Kwon-hyuk still trapped in the illusion? As I stared up at him, the chat window flared open.
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : You idiot, dodge!
Before I could think, my body moved on instinct. I rolled aside just as Oh Kwon-hyuk’s fist slammed into the ground. Gasping, I scrambled away. Cold sweat slid down my back. Pain stabbed through my gut, and I coughed violently.
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : That lunatic mutt! Why isn’t anyone stopping him?!
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Guides the Dead] : He must die, eventually. A being that tilts the scales of this world. He should not exist.
[The Constellation, ‘One More Dazzling Than the Sun,’ throws a stone at ‘One Who Guides the Dead.’]
[The Constellation, ‘One More Dazzling Than the Sun,’ fires an arrow at ‘One Who Guides the Dead.’]
Only then did I realize: this wasn’t just an illusion. Something was actively interfering. A high-level Awakened like Oh Kwon-hyuk wouldn’t still be trapped unless his Constellation was forcing it.
Oh Kwon-hyuk, now composed, began walking toward me with heavy steps. I used my staff for balance, trying to push myself up and back away—but hit a wall.
I had maybe 400 Coins. No items. If I recklessly activated a skill, I might end up hurting him.
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Knows of Destruction] : What should I do, Apollo?
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : What do you think? Run! My Contractor is on your left!
Watching Oh Kwon-hyuk carefully, I shifted my stance. The moment he lunged, I ducked and tried to dash past—
“Guh…!”
—but he grabbed my collar and yanked me back into a chokehold. My vision flared white. The back of my head slammed into the ground. When it cleared, I saw Oh Kwon-hyuk raising his fist.
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Block it!
I barely lifted my staff to intercept.
The impact jolted up my arm and into my shoulder, rattling my bones. He swung again and again. Each time, the staff cracked more.
“What the hell kind of strength is that?!”
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Guides the Dead] : Because you… are weak…
“Will you shut up already?!”
The moment the staff finally snapped, I lashed out and kicked Oh Kwon-hyuk in the stomach. He flinched, giving me just enough time to scramble out and climb onto his back. I clung on, trying to knock him out—but it was useless.
Annoyed, he thrashed wildly, grabbed my hair, and yanked me down.
“Ah—!”
No time to react. He gripped my throat again—I gasped and wheezed and finally resolved to activate a skill.
[Skill: Hand of Sunlight]
[You activate the skill: Hand of Sunlight]
[Skill: Hand of Sunlight has been canceled]
[Your body is cloaked by Wings of Truth]
[Constellation, ‘One Who Knows of Destruction,’ attempts synchronization with the Holy Vessel]
[Synchronization failed]
“What the…?”
[Constellation, ‘One Who Guides the Dead,’ grants their Authority to Contractor ‘Oh Kwon-hyuk’]
[You are being drawn toward death]
[You are nearing death]
Anubis. The jackal-headed god who guided souls to the afterlife—that was the true identity of ‘One Who Guides the Dead.’
The skills he granted were practically divine, under the right conditions. Wings of Truth—a skill that accelerated the death of someone fated to die. No one knew why it had that name, but…
If someone was meant to die in a car crash, they’d get hit within days. If a mugger was their fate, they’d be stabbed around the next corner. It could only be used once every few years, and only on specific targets.
And now, it had been used on me?
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : This fucking lunatic!
I was already being strangled—and now this. I thrashed in his grip, but my strength was slipping away.
Then— BOOM!
A massive tremor shook the ground.
The black smoke vanished instantly. Oh Kwon-hyuk’s eyes cleared. Horrified, he jumped back. I collapsed, gasping, clutching my throat. Another quake rumbled through the chamber.
BOOM!
The fog was sucked out like a receding tide. As it cleared, I saw Lee Myung-won, Kim Yong-tae, and Yoo Jin-woo—all looking shaken.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
The tremors… they were coming from outside.
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : No way.
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Is this that world-ending crap you mentioned?
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Guides the Dead] : Destruction?
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Knows of Destruction] : Nah, it’s not that.
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Knows of Destruction] : We’re fucked.
[CH.#4ww01/One Who Knows of Destruction] : What happens if I die?
[CH.#4ww01/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : How the hell would I know, dumbass?!
Lee Myung-won, clearly flustered, ran to my side. A voice crackled over his radio.
“Ga-hyeon, are you okay? Your neck…”
“It’s my fault.”
Oh Kwon-hyuk said, gripping my shoulder and helping me up. His hand brushed the back of my neck—it was ice-cold. I didn’t need a mirror to know there were finger-shaped bruises.
“I’m sorry.”
I scowled.
“You should be a hell of a lot more sorry.”
“I… don’t really remember what I did. Don’t tell me… I used that on you?”
“I don’t know what ‘that’ is, but probably. Anyway, Lee Myung-won—there was a call from outside, right?”
“Yes. Right now…”
His voice was crushed.
“Monsters are escaping from the outer dungeons… they’re heading for Seoul.”
The First Monster Calamity had begun.
And one thing was clear—today, I was going to die.
