Prologue
Life was never kind to Min-Soo. Abandoned by his parents at the doorstep of a Catholic orphanage as an infant, he was treated more like a burden than a child by the nuns who raised him. They made him sleep in the dark, and the world outside the orphanage wasn't any kinder. After enduring a decade of hardship, Min-Soo took his own life in his small apartment at the age of sixteen.
.....
Chapter 1: Part Aftermath
"Hut, hut, hut," he panted heavily, looking around the pitch-black room, struggled to see anything. His skinny body, blue eyes, and short plum colored hair stood out against his school uniform, now damp with sweat.
"Wh-where am I?!"
he whispered nervously, his voice trembling as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
Panic set in as his eyes darted around the dimly lit space. Suddenly, a bright white door appeared, illuminating the room. Without thinking, Min-Soo rushed towards it, his breath ragged and heavy.Â
He reached the threshold, but to his horror, there was no floor beyond the door. His foot slipped, and he fell, managing to grab the edge at the last moment, hanging on for dear life.
With each grunt, Min-Soo's fingers struggled to hold on. Even after ending his own life and landing in this unknown space, the gods seemed to deny him any semblance of peace. His body shook with fear and exhaustion, the cruel irony of his situation gnawing at his very soul.
Min-Soo's fingers grew tired. His grip faltered as he finally decided to let go. Before releasing himself to the abyss, he mustered his remaining strength for a final message to the puppeteers of this cruel place.
"You unfair bastards called gods, if I die, it will be on my own terms!"
With a final grunt, he closed his eyes and let go, plunging into the void below.
This would be the second time he faced death, he thought.
'SPLAAAAAAT!'
Min-Soo's body shattered on impact, his blood splattering across the floor in a gruesome display.
.....
Seconds later, a bright green light enveloped Min-Soo's remains, reassembling his body.
His eyes snapped open as violent tremors shook his entire being.
"Hut, hut, hut."
He gasped for breath, struggling to regain control.
Min-Soo was confused. He was sure he had died from the fall. The blood around him confirmed it, but here he was, alive again.
Overwhelmed, Min-Soo vomited. After wiping away the vomit, another wave of nausea struck him, and he continued vomiting several times before finally calming down.
He found himself in a spacious white room, devoid of doors or exits.
"Guess this is my own personal hell."
he muttered, his voice echoing in the emptiness.
At first, Min-Soo struggled to accept it. He knew he wasn't a bad person; he had been a victim of others' cruelty. He had done nothing wrong except try to escape the wretched world he lived in.
But dwelling on it wouldn't change anything. Min-Soo reluctantly accepted his fate, acknowledging this as his personal hell—eternally punished for his suicide, condemned to suffer for eternity.
Time passed, and Min-Soo grew restless. As he lay on his back with his eyes closed, a bright light pierced his eyelids, waking him.
Min-Soo opened his eyes to find the light emanating from a holographic screen, with floating words hovering before him:
[System Loading]
Min-Soo blinked, thinking he was dreaming. He rubbed his eyes.
[System Loading]
The holographic screen with the words was still up, unchanged.
.....
Days passed, and Min-Soo counted each one. The loading bar inched forward, increasing his anxiety. Each tick of progress filled Min-Soo with growing dread, wondering what would happen once it finished.
[System Loading]
[98%]
[99%]
[100%]
Zap!
The screen suddenly disappeared after reaching one hundred, leaving Min-Soo disheartened. He stared at the white walls and sighed in frustration.
Man, even the gods here are ruthless!"
Beep!
*SFX sounds Loading*
A messages suddenly materialized on its surface.
IQ: [3]
Strength: [2]
Speed: [5]
Stamina: [2]
Magc: [Locked]
Attack: [8]
Defense: [0]
Evasion: [2]
Magic Defense: [Locked]
Magc Evasion: [Locked]
Luck: [-100]
[Attributes Calculated.]
Min-Soo sighed deeply
Feeling the weight of his insignificance pressing down on him. The stats before him confirmed what he already knew — he was nothing more than trash, the lowest of the low. As he reflected on his life before this moment of death, he couldn't help but acknowledge that his luck had always been abysmal.
A new message suddenly appeared on the screen:
[Nameless: Let us strike a bargain.]
"Uh, who are you?"
Min-Soo responded, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
[Nameless: Does that matter?!]
"Yes,"
He replied firmly.
[Nameless: WHY?!]
"If I'm going to make a deal, I gotta know who I'm dealing with first."
[Nameless: Ha! Confidence, boy? I didn't expect such boldness from you.]
Min-Soo stared intently at the screen, feeling a mix of anxiety and curiosity.
[Nameless: I am the owner of this place.]
"Wait, where is this place?"
[Nameless: That's the least of your worries, boy. Ask the questions burning in your mind..]
Min-Soo gulped nervously.
"Why am I even here?"
[Nameless: Because you have earned your place here.]
"Is this hell?"
Min-Soo asked, his voice trembling slightly.
[Nameless: HAHAHA, this is neither hell nor is it paradise.]
"Then, where exactly am I?"
[Error Error.]
The screen glitched, displaying incomprehensible messages.
"I'm sorry, but I can't read that,"
Min-Soo muttered, frustrated as the glitches persisted.
[Error Error.]
The screen continued to malfunction, leaving Min-Soo squinting in annoyance.
"I still can't see a thing."
[Deity 1: How dare this insignificant creature trespass upon our domain. Remove him, Error.]
[Deity 2: He is unworthy of this realm. Cast him out to where he belongs.]
[Deity 3: Send him to the depths of Hell, where even shadows fear to tread.]
[Error Error.]
[Error Error.]
Floating messages piled up on the screen incessantly.
[Alert: The deities have determined that you deserve to be sent to the infernal realm.]
Min-Soo stared up at the threatening messages.
"What? I haven't done anything to deserve this judgment!"
[Alert: User has cursed the gods and labeled them as unfair bastards and hypocrites!]
"But th-th-that can't be the r-r-reason I d-d-deserve to go to h-h-hell."
Min-Soo stood there, tears streaming down his cheeks as the screen went dark once more, devoid of messages.
After composing himself, he wiped away his tears and faced the screen.
[Nameless: Do you now regret uttering those words, mortal?]
"If that's all it takes for these deities to damn me, then I regret nothing!"
The screen's blue glow shifted to a menacing red, flickering ominously. Min-Soo stood firm, confronting the screen.
[Quest: Die to seal the contract]
Min-Soo stared into the empty room, disbelief etched on his face.
"Why does this always happen to me? A death sentence..."
Death hadn't become routine for him yet, especially not in this stark, white void where escape seemed impossible.
Then, out of nowhere, a small, ominous black pill materialized before him.
He hesitated. Taking it felt like sealing his fate.
[Alert: If the User doesn't take the pill, the User will be sent to the Infernal Realm.]
It seemed there was no way out for him. Reluctantly, Min-Soo took the pill in trembling fingers and retreated to a corner. With a gulp, he swallowed it down.
Seconds passed without incident. Doubt crept in.
"Was this all a cruel joke?"
But as the minutes ticked by, discomfort turned to agony. Breathing grew labored, his face flushed red, and panic surged as he struggled against the pill's grip on his body.
Five minutes dragged on like an eternity. By the eighth minute, consciousness slipped away, leaving only silence in the room, broken by the faint echo of his final heartbeat.
.....
The bright green light enveloped Min-Soo once more, its healing warmth spreading through his trembling form.
His eyes snapped open as violent tremors subsided, and he struggled to regain his breath.
"Pant... pant..."
Gradually, his breathing steadied, and he turned around, taking a deep, calming breath.
Min-Soo glanced up at the now serene red screen, its message clear:
[Alert: You've sealed the contract.]
Despite his circumstances, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
-Congratulations on becoming a [candidate]
"Candidate for what, exactly?"
[Alert: You will be transported to another location to undergo the trials of Nameless in 24 hours. Prepare accordingly.]
The Messages continued, completely disregarding Min-Soo's.
[Alert: Failing to complete the trials will result in being sent to the 21 infernal realms Naraka.]
'sighed.'
He sighed softly.
"Another one of these penalties. Just my luck."
[Alert: Your rewards for becoming a candidate have been delivered.]
He murmured with a hint of amusement.
"Well, looks like something finally went my way for once."