28. ????
On the other side—
NaRi instinctively threw herself over her siblings the moment the ceiling came crashing down. A cloud of dust and splinters exploded through the air. Her small frame wasn't much of a shield in this kind of disaster—but at the very least, it was something.
"DaMi, JaeHee—are you two alright?"
That was the first thing out of her mouth as soon as the dust began to settle enough for her to see again.
DaHee was still unresponsive, exactly as she'd been before.
Thankfully, DaMi and JaeHee had come over to check on their sister just before everything collapsed. NaRi pushed aside the worst-case scenario trying to take root in her mind.
Once she confirmed that no one was seriously hurt, she shifted immediately into analysis mode.
The way to Chris—the railway—was completely blocked by massive, twisted roots and branches.
Bad news: They couldn't reach Chris anytime soon.
Good news: The horde of monsters wouldn't be getting through either.
Ahead of them loomed the Ancient Tree—its grotesque form impossibly large and unsettling.
Behind them was the barricade hastily constructed by fellow survivors—her own kind.
"JaeHee!" NaRi called out urgently. There was no time to hesitate. "Quick, take DaMi and get behind the barricade!"
JaeHee looked like he wanted to object—his brows furrowed, mouth opening—
But he caught her expression. It shut him up fast.
He nodded, grabbed DaMi's hand, and pulled her with him, both of them hurrying toward the makeshift wall cobbled together from anything the survivors could find. His mind was racing—just like his sister's.
Seeing that her younger siblings were no longer in immediate danger, NaRi let out a shaky breath of relief.
But only for a second. Her expression hardened once more, sharp and vigilant.
Her eyes locked on the wall of roots and branches—
—it was changing.
A large dent formed near the base, followed by two smaller ones just above it.
The human mind had a curious habit: seeing faces in anything that resembled three holes.
But this wasn't a trick of perception.
This wasn't pareidolia.
This time, the dents moved—
—twisting into something disturbingly expressive.
It was sentient.
NaRi felt the chill crawl down her spine as the face-like structure shifted with purpose, scanning the area—searching.
It didn't take long to find what it was looking for.
The sacrifice.
The one whose blood was meant to fuel it—to empower it beyond anything it had been before.
Just as the Star Stream had promised.
There was some fly buzzing uselessly behind it, but it was ignored. With its goal in front of it, it was normal for its vision to narrow. But suddenly, another fly entered its field of view.
"Unnie," NaRi called softly, her voice tinged with melancholy. "I don't understand what's happened to you."
"To me, you've always shone brightly—capable of anything. Even now, nothing has changed."
Crackle.
Blue lightning flickered across her hands, vivid enough to be seen with the naked eye.
"To be honest," NaRi continued, baring her feelings, "I'm actually relieved by all this. You probably don't remember, but there were so many things I felt guilty about—towards you. It's only me who couldn't forgive myself, and maybe this is my chance to make things right. So please, don't worry. Take all the time you need."
"Just like you stood by me, I want to stand by you now."
NaRi's gaze sharpened as a whip-like branch surged toward her.
Bam!
She deflected it with her hands, leaving smoldering scorch marks on the branch—an almost cinematic moment. After all, she had coins too.
But of course, there wasn't just a single branch—dozens of them twisted together, entwined with thick, gnarled roots. Her abilities were formidable against living creatures with flesh and blood, but against something like this—an ancient, warped tree—they were no match. She might be able to escape, but protecting others was impossible. She knew this and had prepared accordingly.
She watched the tree's slow advance, as if it were savoring its prey's growing despair. Then, suddenly, it flailed violently.
A face, carved like a deep dent in the bark, contorted into a silent scream before gradually fading into nothingness.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
I admired my artwork on this rough, brown canvas. A massive blackened mark dominated the center, almost like charcoal—its size both striking and effective. The flailing branch was the proof of my handiwork.
From the singed area, a face-like dent emerged.
"Hello," I said, bowing with the grace of a gentleman despite my bare feet. "And goodbye. I'll give you a tattoo you won't forget today."
The tree's branches and roots moved with impressive speed and strength—quantity without quality. Fast, yes, but not fast enough.
I had two concerns. First, I had no idea what was happening on the other side, but with the tree focused on me, that was a relief. Second, the increasing number of monsters behind me was worrisome. Thankfully, the ancient tree tried to draw energy from them to regenerate, which actually made my task easier.
Now, it was a question of endurance: would I tire before its regeneration failed, or would the burns outpace its healing?
The tree thrashed wildly, fighting desperately to survive. I could almost feel its stubborn will clinging to life, even as a hammering pain pounded inside my head and my legs stiffened. But with every strike, its strength faded. Time was running out—for both of us.
Sadly for the tree, the regeneration couldn't keep up with the damage.
The branches fell limp and began to wither rapidly.
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire congratulates you on your victory.'
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire has sponsored you with 1,000 coins.'
'Moved by your righteousness, the constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire has deemed you worthy.'
You have been bestowed with the stigma: Hell Flame Ignition.
The sudden barrage of notifications caught me off guard. Even more shocking was their content—righteousness? By what measure did they see righteousness in me? Surely, there must be a flaw in the constellation's gaze.
Ugh! A sharp headache cut me off mid-thought. Instinctively, I pressed my hands together, forming a triangular symbol.
"We have ended your reign with fire.
May your soul, guided by angels, find peace in the earth's embrace.
Látom."
As I finished the prayer, the headache and cramps vanished within mere seconds.
Finally, I had some breathing room.
But as I began to process this unbelievable turn of events, another thought struck me:
Hell Flame?
Flame?
Suddenly, knowledge on how to wield the stigma flooded my mind. Following that guidance, a brilliant white flame ignited on my hands, quickly engulfing the scythe in its radiant blaze.
I was speechless, staring at the bright white flame dancing along my scythe. Slowly, I shifted my attention to the shop tab in my system. Prices were much cheaper now, but every item came with a penalty.
My eyes twitched uncontrollably. I knew it was my choice—something I would have to do sooner or later—but still, the sense of loss was indelible.
"Why only give it now?!" I shouted, despair pouring from the depths of my heart.
"Well, you know I couldn't just give it away so freely," a voice whispered inside my mind.
Startled, I spun around to see if someone was nearby. Aside from NaRi and the others on the far side trying to reach me, no one else was around.
"Hello?" I called out hesitantly, only to grimace as a pounding headache hammered at my temples. Thankfully, it passed quickly. Then, all I saw was NaRi's cheerful wave.
Wait — the horde of monsters had stopped too. I'd been too distracted to notice.
Evaluation: 98 (Very Good)
Time Limit: 12 minutes 37 seconds remaining.
???
What the heck just happened?
For now, I simply waved back at NaRi. It seemed the ancient tree had been the center of this bizarre event. I tried to connect the dots—most likely, it was the reason my evaluation score shot up when I approached this station.
But then... what if I hadn't come here? Would I have been unable to return? Was there another objective entirely? Could the tree have succeeded, grown even stronger, and resurfaced later as a greater threat?
...No, that's too far-fetched. Right?
And that voice earlier—what was that? It sounded like the same woman's voice I usually hear, but something about it felt... different.
"Was that D?"
Just as one question led to another, I suddenly sensed a presence coming from the railway. Slowly, a figure emerged from the shadows into the station's dim light.
It was a man in his prime—or more accurately, an unfairly handsome man. He had wide black eyes with narrow double eyelids and thick eyebrows. His short black hair was slightly wavy, and his tan skin highlighted his sharp nose bridge and strong jawline. A black coat and sturdy combat boots toned down his muscular frame, but just barely.
Then, one of his eyes began to glow gold as he locked eyes with me. Somehow, his stare felt like it was scanning—no, licking me all over.
Let's forget that. Yeah. Throw that cursed thought into a hole and bury it forever.
In one smooth motion, he unsheathed the sword at his waist and pointed it directly at me.
"Who are you?" he asked.
His voice was cold, expressionless—completely devoid of emotion.
The killing intent was unmistakable. I could feel it—sharp and suffocating—the very real possibility that I might be killed in the next second.
One wrong word, and that blade would fly at me.
Still, I wasn't in a hurry to answer him.
Evaluation: 98 (Very Good)
Time Limit: 9 minutes 54 seconds remaining
I assessed my situation first. The ancient tree had dried out enough that it wouldn't be an obstacle if I decided to run upstairs. My scythe was still burning with white flame. Unfortunately, I had no thread left to use as traps.
The man in front of me stood with full confidence in his ability—and it was obvious he was far more skilled than I was.
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire expresses her curiosity about your identity.'
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire is curious about what you will do next.'
"In simple terms, a visitor," I replied, trying to sound mysterious—stalling for time.
But…
"I see."
The man dashed forward, his sword slashing through the air with chilling precision.
I had half-expected this. His bloodlust was overwhelming—too intense for someone who still hesitated.
In response, the iris of my left eye split into four. He didn't see it coming. It hit him like a hammer straight to the chest.
BAM!
The wall cracked as he slammed into it.
I hadn't held back. That was the full force I could muster.
Yet the man only looked momentarily surprised. There were no signs of pain—no injuries at all.
"Oppa?" NaRi, who had been tending to her siblings, turned toward us at the sound of the crash.
"Don't. Take the others and go," I said, quickly weaving as many threads as I could.
The moment I blink, I know I won't be able to keep him restrained this easily again.
"But…" she hesitated.
"Go. I'll be fine."
I didn't look at her—didn't stop my hands, either.
I needed every second to build as many obstacles as possible between me and that man.
NaRi looked at me for a long moment before finally nodding and leaving the scene with her siblings.
One minute later, I blinked.
If I pushed my eye ability any further, I was certain I'd lose clarity for several minutes—and against someone like him, that kind of disadvantage would be fatal.
That's why I chose to let it go now and prepare my next move, rather than clinging to it and risking everything.
That brief moment of release was all it took.
The young man leapt from the crater, completely unscathed—just as I'd expected.
With his sword once again in hand, he charged straight at me.
He was the real thing. A genuine master.
Unlike me, who relied on raw agility and instinct to swing a weapon, he moved with perfect efficiency. Not a single ounce of strength was wasted—every motion was sharp, precise, and controlled.
If it weren't for my enhanced reflexes, improved dynamic vision, and the web of threads I'd laid beforehand, I wouldn't have even seen his attacks coming—let alone survived them.
Barely, I managed to keep standing.
I kept moving through areas thick with my threads, forcing him into terrain that limited his movement. Sure, his sword could cut through the threads with ease—but those extra motions, those slight delays, were just enough for me to avoid taking a fatal hit.
I was pushing my mind to its limits, taxing every thought to survive, yet I kept my creativity alive—finding new ways to strike back while maintaining distance.
Close combat with this guy? That was the same as walking into my own grave.
Whenever he slashed at me, I yanked down pieces of the broken ceiling onto his arms or legs—anything to throw off his form. Other times, I'd fling a splash of poison toward him, just to force him to step back, even for a second.
No, seriously—what the hell is this guy?
A secluded master?
A reincarnator?
A regressor?
I could see it—he was slowly but surely adapting to my movements.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before that sword finally landed a clean hit.
Realizing this, I shifted my strategy.
Well, isn't this the perfect chance? I glanced at the flaming scythe still burning in my hand.
As if responding to my thoughts, the flame flared brighter, crackling with renewed intensity.
But the moment I pointed it toward the young man—
The fire… calmed.
It shrank back, as if refusing to obey.
"..."
Before I could even voice the question, a notification appeared.
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire denies the judgment.'
What...?
But why?
My thoughts spiraled, and at the same time, he began landing hits more frequently. As the number of threads I had prepared dwindled, the injuries he dealt started to deepen—soon, they wouldn't be just scratches anymore.
Even so, I wasn't panicking. Not yet.
I still didn't understand why he was attacking me like this, but that glowing golden eye of his... it felt like it could see straight through me. I didn't know what he saw, but whatever it was, it made my skin crawl.
Ignoring the burning soles of my shoes, I ignited my feet and used the blast to launch myself away from his blade just in time.
Once I realized the white flame wouldn't respond to me offensively, I stopped trying to take the initiative.
With a skill gap this wide, getting in close was the same as begging for death.
Sure, I might land a hit or two—but I already knew the consequences wouldn't be worth the risk.
And if you're wondering why I even tried attacking earlier... well, humans make mistakes.
Also, my scythe is longer than his sword.
Some wise man once said: You never know until you try.
Yeah, very death-seeking words. Maybe I should be grateful to the Demon-like Judge of Fire for holding me back.
I used the flames on my feet for speed, splashing poison at him from a distance as makeshift ranged attacks. My Repellent Eye fired off invisible pressure to force reactions, and my threads weren't idle either—latching onto anything nearby to hurl debris at him.
"Lord, thank you for your generous help, Látom."
I paused to pray, my actions so unexpected that the black-haired man hesitated, his wary gaze sharpening as if trying to decipher my intentions.
Should I really do this? The thought hit me suddenly.
Without hesitation, I bowed deeply—like a true gentleman—mimicking a certain someone's signature move, then flashed a confident smile as a farewell.
Time Limit: 1 second → 0 seconds.
The young man, realizing too late there was nothing more to grasp, thrust his sword toward me—but I had already vanished.
The end. I'm finally back, I thought, as darkness claimed my vision.
What I failed to notice was that someone—with long, flowing, strikingly beautiful black hair—watched those final moments unfold in silence.
No one could decipher the meaning hidden behind her enigmatic gaze.
***
When I regained my sight—or rather, when light finally reflected in my eyes again—I found myself staring at a familiar bed, a desk, and other familiar furniture.
"I'm back," I murmured without hesitation, sinking onto the bed.
My body and mind were utterly drained; I needed rest more than anything.
Thankfully, my parents had insisted I take the day off, so I had a whole day to recover.
My eyelids grew heavy as the soft bed's lullaby pulled me under.
Just as I was about to drift off, a notification flickered before my eyes:
'The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire questions your whereabouts.'
'?????'
And then, I slipped into sleep.