The shrieking static in Jihan's ears resonated, shattering the fleeting euphoria that had just settled in his chest for a few mere seconds. The soothing neon green glow from the interface screen died instantly. The light was immediately replaced by a brutal visual distortion, twisting back into a dark, murky red like molten rust spilling into the mortal world.Jihan's arm, still draped weakly over Luna's shoulder, froze on the spot. The breath of the young man, who now looked like a middle-aged veteran, hitched violently."Han? What is wrong with you?" Luna asked in a panic. She noticed his body tense up like a slab of concrete. The woman tried to loosen her embrace, looking up to see Jihan's face.Jihan did not answer. His dark eyes widened in pure terror, locked tight on the giant interface screen now pulsing right in front of him. The screen displayed sharp block letters, threatening their fragile peace.The cheerfully toned machine notification that the Death Bank System usually u

The artificial sky on the 99th floor had long since turned into a fragmented mess of dead pixels. The fake blue sky flickered erratically before completely shutting down, exposing the dark, swirling void of the Abyss above.Jihan lay perfectly still on the ruined steel platform. His body had been completely locked down by the System's penalty. For hours, he had remained in this exact same spot. He couldn't even turn his head. He couldn't scream.His dark eyes were locked dead center on the empty, scorched spot where the dark portal had opened and dragged Luna down into nothingness.A woman who was smarter than the Association, tougher than any elite guard, had just been sucked away as payment for his victory. His father’s debt was cleared. Dian’s life was secured. But the victory felt entirely empty, exactly like a vacuum swallowing the air inside his lungs.The silence around him was heavy and cold. Mr. Zero was dead. The Elite Guards were ashes. The only sound in that sprawling aren

The chirping of crickets in the rural yard died instantly, as if a cassette tape had been forcefully cut.Jihan's left finger, covered in calluses and lingering scars, touched the bright virtual button floating in front of him. The button read, [Death Bank Job Openings: Apply Now].He needed to get inside the central server. If he tried to break down the front door from the outside like an idiot, the god-tier system would crush his existence before he could even see Luna again. The only legal way to penetrate those apocalypse-coated walls was by securing an identity as an Insider.The moment the screen was pressed, the physical reality around him collapsed.The dark wooden porch was gone, along with the cool suburban breeze. The darkness ripped him apart and instantly formed a construct of light.Jihan blinked his empty black eyes. The air suddenly felt sterile, reeking of a mix of ozone from an air conditioner and harsh hospital cleaning chemicals. His dead nose couldn't smell it, ye

The cartoon grim reaper mascot vanished from the screen with a loud pop, leaving behind an incredibly heavy and deadly silence on the wooden porch of the countryside house.Jihan stood completely still. The flawless, expensive black suit wrapping his fully healed body felt extremely tight, squeezing the very remnants of the conscience he had left. In front of him, the Death Bank's virtual inbox flickered rapidly.Jihan's black, irises-less eyes stared intently at the holographic profile document hovering in the air."Anwar," Jihan muttered quietly, his voice an unnervingly cold baritone.A middle-aged man's face smiled warmly in the hologram photograph. He wasn't wearing dark mafia suits or an intimidating Syndicate boss armor. Anwar wore a faded, washed-out polo shirt, standing in front of a worn-out building holding two dirty little boys tightly, all of them laughing happily.Jihan opened the data attachment utilizing his newly granted Reaper privileges. His brain instantly accessed

The snapping sound of the Captain's wrist bone echoed incredibly crisp in the suddenly freezing afternoon air."AARGH! My hand, you bastard!" the elite Captain of the Number 1 Guild screamed hysterically. His mana rifle dropped to the rotting wooden porch floor. His massive body doubled over in agonizing pain as Jihan's left hand crushed his bones like crackers.His two elite subordinates standing a few steps behind him went wide-eyed in shock. The dense aura of death radiating from Jihan's black suit made their courage shrink, but their arrogance as Suryo's lapdogs still blinded their common sense."Hey! Let our captain go, you dog!" yelled one of the stocky Hunters. He raised his rifle, aiming right at Jihan's head.The other Hunter, a man with a tattooed face, felt a deep horror staring into Jihan's solid black eyes that lacked any white sclera. Instead of aiming at Jihan, the coward stepped sideways and kicked the orphanage door with all his might.CRASH!The flimsy wooden door sp