The Cursed System
Yoo Jihwan walked through the quiet streets, his mind heavy with thoughts. The dungeon, the deaths, and the system—it was all real. The weight of his survival pressed against him, but there was no relief. There was no celebration in escaping when everything felt like a prelude to something worse.
His apartment was dark when he entered, the only source of light coming from the flickering streetlamp outside his window. He shut the door behind him, tossed his bloodstained jacket aside, and sat down on the edge of his bed.
Then, the system responded.
[ The Cursed System is now fully operational. ]
A deep breath. The system had changed.
Without hesitation, he pulled up his Status Window.
━
[ Name ]: Yoo Jihwan
[ Rank ]: E ~ ???
[ Class ]: Hunter ~ ???
[ Death Count ]: 1
[ Death Points ]: 2
[ Dark Energy ]: Low
━
His eyes lingered on the Death Count—confirmation that what he experienced wasn't a hallucination. He had died. The system had recorded it.
Then, more messages appeared.
[ 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's expression didn't change, but his fingers curled slightly.
"So that's how it works…"
This wasn't just a punishment. Death had become a currency.
But before he could think further—
[ The Shop of Death is now accessible. ]
[ New items are available. ]
[ Do you want to visit the shop? ]
[ Yes / No ]
Jihwan narrowed his eyes before speaking.
"Yes."
[ Opening Shop of Death… ]
A new window unfolded before him. Unlike the cold system notifications, this one had an eerie, ancient feel. The text was written in deep crimson, as if scrawled in dried blood.
━
[ Shop of Death ]
[1] Cursed Dagger (5 DP)
— A dagger tainted by death itself. It inflicts wounds that do not heal easily.
[2] Bloodstained Cloak (10 DP)
— A cloak worn by those who have walked the path of death. It conceals the wearer's presence in dungeons.
[3] Soulbound Ring (15 DP)
— A ring that binds to the user upon wearing. It enhances the strength of death-related skills.
[4] ??? (Locked)
━
Jihwan scanned the items, his gaze lingering on the Cursed Dagger. 5 DP. Just within his reach.
But he hesitated.
This shop—this system—it wanted him to spend DP. To keep using it. To keep dying for it.
A quiet chuckle escaped his lips.
He was being tempted.
But for now, he would wait.
He closed the shop window.
Jihwan exhaled slowly, leaned back, and let exhaustion take over. His body was heavy, his mind still racing.
Tomorrow—he would decide his next step.
End of Chapter