Prologue – Death's Shadow
Darkness.
A suffocating abyss where time had no meaning.
Yoo Jihwan had died again.
The weightless void wrapped around him, silent yet suffocating. He had experienced this countless times—his body torn apart, his vision fading into this endless dark. And then…
[ The System has recorded your death. ]
[ Death Count: 124 ]
[ You are bearing the Mark of Death. ]
124 deaths.
Jihwan opened his eyes, exhaling as if waking from a dream. Cold air met his skin. The familiar scent of damp stone and blood greeted him.
He was back. Again.
The dungeon around him remained unchanged. Towering stalactites loomed above, casting jagged shadows against the crimson glow of the monster-infested cavern. In the distance, distant howls echoed—twisted creatures lurking, hunting.
His surroundings were familiar. Too familiar.
He had died here before.
Jihwan slowly clenched his fists, feeling the faint tremor in his fingertips. It was neither fear nor hesitation—just a quiet reminder that he was still human. Even now.
He lifted his gaze.
A massive beast lay before him, its form grotesque and gnarled—its flesh pulsing with unnatural veins of darkness. The Abyssal Devourer. The creature that had ripped him apart in his previous regression.
[ You can earn DP by dying and defeating opponents. ]
[ The amount of DP is based on: ]
[ - How brutal your death is. ]
[ - How strong your opponents are. ]
Jihwan exhaled. The system's cold indifference was a constant reminder—Death was not his end. It was his resource.
A glint of steel flickered in his grip—his dagger, Bloodshade Fang. It wasn't strong. It wasn't legendary. But in his hands, it was lethal.
The monster had killed him before.
But this time—
Jihwan's cold eyes burned with quiet resolve.
This time, he would kill it first.
End of Prologue.