A Hunter's Fear
Jihwan wandered through the empty streets, the cold night air biting against his skin. His fingers traced the hilt of the Cursed Dagger, still fresh in his grasp. The System had given him a new quest—test the blade on a living creature.
He wasn't about to stab an innocent person just to complete it. But he also couldn't ignore the penalty if he failed.
His thoughts were interrupted by a drunken shout.
"Oi! Watch where you're going, punk!"
Jihwan turned his gaze toward the voice. A staggering figure emerged from a nearby alley—a hunter, his guild badge barely hanging from his chest. His clothes were ragged, his breath reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot.
Jihwan didn't reply. He simply stepped aside, hoping the man would pass.
But the drunk hunter wasn't interested in letting him go.
"What's with that look, huh?" The man slurred, cracking his knuckles. "You think you're better than me?"
Jihwan exhaled slowly. This was a waste of time.
"Move," he said flatly.
The hunter sneered. "You little—" His fist swung forward, slow and reckless.
Jihwan moved before he could think. His body reacted on instinct—his hand snapped to the dagger, and in a single motion, he slashed the hunter's arm.
The moment the blade tasted blood, the System reacted.
---
[Quest Completed.]
[Reward: +10 DP]
[New Skill Unlocked: Death's Touch]
[Death's Touch (Lv.1): The opponent is forced to relive their greatest fear upon injury.]
---
Jihwan barely had time to register the message before the hunter screamed.
The man's body froze, his eyes going wide with horror. He stumbled back, his breath coming out in frantic gasps.
"No… no, no, NO!" The hunter clawed at his own head, as if trying to rip something away. His pupils shrank, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.
Jihwan watched in silence. This… was the power of Death's Touch.
The hunter fell to his knees, muttering to himself, lost in his own terror. Whatever he was seeing, it wasn't the streets anymore.
Jihwan didn't know what the man's greatest fear was. But it didn't matter. The dagger had shown it to him.
"…You should be more careful," Jihwan said quietly. He sheathed the blade, stepping past the still-trembling man.
The hunter didn't respond. He simply sat there, breathing heavily, staring at something only he could see.
---
End of Chapter .