Chapter 24

A storm raged across the desert.

The creature—no, the being that had been denied humanity—finally understood.

What needed to be done to survive, to escape the pain.

Whoosh!

The spear swung.

And swung again.

Into every mouth that dared to babble, he rammed a blade. Every impudent tongue, he tore apart.

Blood splattered. Organs spilled.

The more he unleashed violence—

The more he killed—

The more the noise faded.

The quieter it got.

‘Ah.’

The child was satisfied.

He believed he’d been right.

If he killed every human that existed in the desert, the malice and hatred directed at him would disappear too.

‘You’re the ones who tormented me first.’

‘You cast me out, so don’t blame me if I’m brutal.’

Twitch!

The pitch-black wings on his back trembled with excitement.

Thus, the child became more and more drunk on slaughter.

Naturally, as he hunted more humans, his combat skills sharpened.

From village to city, from city to kingdom, from kingdom to empire—

The more he expanded his hunting grounds, the more fluid and deadly his spear became.

Eventually, energy began to form around the weapon—

Humans called it ‘spear aura’.

The energy imbued into the weapon reflected a deep, personal wish.

The child etched into the blade the image he saw the day he was born. A landscape.

The sun shining brightly in the sky—the last thing he saw before he lost his sight.

A spear that held the sun.

The sun-drenched spear became punishment incarnate.

It burned, pierced, impaled.

‘It’s laughable.’

The child found it amusing.

Why?

Because the more he killed—

The less hatred he received.

It made no sense.

Humans were strange creatures. The more they were tormented, the less they hated.

They turned to admiration. To reverence.

To fear and awe.

Almost as if they were begging to be hurt more.

‘Idiots.’

More and more people began to follow the brutal version of him.

There were even those who worshipped him and slaughtered their own kind in his name.

“……”

Sun Spear.

The name given to the child somewhere along the way.

“O Sun Spear!”

“O great hero and warrior born of the Desert Empire! We will follow you!”

“Lead us, save us!”

The child accepted them.

To lead? To save?

Not a chance!

He knew well—

Human nature was wicked. It could only be restrained through violence.

To restore the desert’s ecosystem—

Required ‘death’.

He would rule the Desert Empire and bring about the extinction of all humans.

If all humans were wiped out—

Then no more victims like him would be born.

No child would be denied life the moment they were born.

‘Raise your spears!’

Sun Spear’s disciples armed themselves.

A mad gleam filled their eyes like cursed heretics.

‘From now on, kill each other! Slaughter your kin without mercy! Burn them like the withering sun!’

The child became the monster humans had always called him.

[Skill: Memory Reenactment (S-rank) has ended.]

* * *

Fwoosh!

Inside a strange, dark space—

A triangular chamber that resembled the apex of the pyramid—

[‘Sun Spear’ gazes at you.]

A being was staring at me.

No, not staring—he couldn’t.

His eyes had been gruesomely hollowed out.

‘So that’s Sun Spear…’

I shivered.

The oppressive aura radiating from his pitch-black wings made it hard to breathe.

‘Is this really B-rank?’

Sure, I’d never experienced a B-rank before—

But this was extreme.

That Memory Reenactment skill alone, that overwhelming pressure—

‘It’s nearly on par with the old man.’

Then, his mouth opened.

“Filthy, wicked human.”

It oozed pure killing intent.

His raw hatred and resentment toward humanity stabbed coldly into my chest.

“Have you come to deny my existence as well?”

Whoosh!

The spear in his hand gleamed.

It felt like I was being swallowed by the blazing sun.

“…!”

The sheer awe of the attack was enough to make me close my eyes on instinct.

‘Hm?’

But—

Nothing happened.

No pain. No impact.

I cautiously opened one eye.

‘Did it miss?’

The spear that had clearly been aimed at me had veered to the left.

As if I’d instinctively dodged it.

While I stood dumbfounded—

“Tsk tsk, get your head on straight.”

A familiar voice rang out.

“Old man?”

To my shock—

The old man of the Legacy of the Ten Thousand Arts was behind me.

In that brief moment—

He had grabbed my sleeve and pulled me to safety.

“How—?”

I was confused.

I had no energy left.

I couldn’t summon the skeletons or the old man.

“You dodged my attack…?”

Sun Spear’s voice quivered with rage.

“You, a mere human, think you can withstand the spear that ruled the Desert Empire for centuries?!”

Once again, the sun blazed within his weapon.

But—

[The Master of Ten Thousand Arts uses skill: Absolute Shield (Lv.MAX).]

Vmmm!

A soft, encompassing energy collided with Sun Spear’s strike.

Boom!

The sheer force sent me flying into the wall.

Pain flared across my back and ribs.

“Ugh!”

If not for the old man’s skill—

I’d be dead.

“Tsk tsk, foolish boy.”

“Old man?”

“A disciple who can’t even distinguish illusion from reality?”

“Illusion… and reality…”

I furrowed my brows.

Then glanced down at myself.

My body was faintly transparent—like a hologram.

Just like the old man. A ghostly form.

Which meant—

“This isn’t real.”

“Indeed. This is your mind. That Sun Spear kid has invaded your unconscious state.”

The old man had told me once—

That he and I were linked mentally, so he could still inflict pain even without physical presence.

That must be how he appeared here without me using energy.

“Tsk. Looks like you’ve finally come to your senses.”

He smiled—

Then turned toward Sun Spear.

“That guy.”

“Sir?”

“He’s not your opponent. Not yet.”

“Yes.”

I knew.

I’d seen his memories.

A monster who had massacred tens of thousands—no, hundreds of thousands—of humans.

I knew how powerful he was.

I understood the grudge he carried.

But that was all.

I didn’t feel sorry for him.

From a human perspective, he was a monster. Nothing more, nothing less.

“So for now, stay back.”

Shing!

The old man drew his weapon.

His body radiated immense fighting spirit.

“A monster who ruled an entire world. Fascinating.”

He wore an expression I had never seen before.

One of true interest.

“Choosing you as my disciple was the right call.”

A supreme being from another world—

Now intrigued by another supreme being.

“…Will you be alright?”

I asked out of reflex.

Because that monster’s aura was no joke.

The old man snorted.

“Alright? Sure, that spear technique’s impressive. He might be several times stronger than me at that.”

“What?! That strong?”

“You fool. What do you take Ten Thousand Arts for? I said his ‘spear technique’ is stronger. Overall, he’s way below me.”

Spear techniques were just one of the ten thousand arts.

The old man had all of them.

When all ten thousand arts synergize and amplify—

That’s when true ‘Ten Thousand Arts’ is born.

“Hahaha! I’m actually excited. To think I’d find such a worthy opponent only after death! I’m not letting this chance slip away!”

His aura clashed with Sun Spear.

“You’re strong. Have you transcended your human limits?”

Perhaps even Sun Spear sensed danger now.

He was wary of the old man.

‘This is…’

I swallowed hard.

I didn’t know how things ended up like this—

But maybe I could sit back and let it all resolve on its own?

[‘Master of Ten Thousand Arts’ is staring at ‘Sun Spear.’]
[‘Sun Spear’ is staring at ‘Master of Ten Thousand Arts.’]

Two supreme beings locked in a deadly standoff.

Rumble…

The entire space quaked.

Sand drizzled from the ceiling. Pebbles rose from the ground.

All I could do—

‘Old man, please win.’

Was cheer him on.

I slipped into a corner, behind his shield.

* * *

Crackkk!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The air ripped. The space crumbled.

The pyramid couldn’t withstand the collision of two absolute beings.

“Do you think you understand my grudge, human?”

“I don’t care about your past. I just want someone who can take me on.”

Hundreds of exchanges.

Until my eardrums went numb from the noise—

They clashed nonstop.

One supreme being wanted his pain to be acknowledged.

The other sought only battle.

“GRAAAAAHH!”

The monster roared.

“I only wanted to live! To see the world! The burning sun, the warm sand, the lush forests—I wanted to see them all!”

He deflected the old man’s attacks with light from his spear.

“But your kind stole my rights. You bound me without cause. You gouged out my eyes!”

Sun Spear.

His voice trembled with fury.

The killing intent radiating from him made my skin crawl.

“So I slaughtered the humans of the desert! I conquered a world with my spear-wielding disciples!”

“……”

“You all need to feel the pain I felt! I can’t be the only one to suffer!”

The old man frowned and stepped back.

“What a terrifying grudge.”

He muttered.

“I admit it. My own grudges pale in comparison.”

But despite his words, the tide was clearly turning in the old man’s favor.

Even someone as inexperienced as me could tell.

Sun Spear looked shaken.

“But that’s all. If resentment alone won battles, then the most miserable person would be the strongest.”

The old man drew a bow this time.

Creeeak…

As he pulled the string, hundreds of magical arrows formed around him.

An awe-inspiring display—

Yet Sun Spear’s ferocity didn’t waver.

Even after killing so many, his rage still burned.

He tossed his spear and charged.

“……”

I silently watched them fight.

But something felt off in my chest.

Like I was missing something.

‘This dungeon is B-rank.’

I hadn’t experienced one before, but—

This was over the top.

Maybe because of the transformation?

My head spun.

‘Come to think of it.’

I saw this message when I first entered:

[Connection between the dungeon and Hunter Joo Donghoon’s class detected.]

A stage tied to my class.

What did that mean?

What was weighing down my chest?

After several minutes of agonizing thought—

“Ah?”

A sudden realization struck me.

The dead. The spear. The skeletons.

And something tied to me.

“No way.”

My heart pounded.

Now that I thought about it, Sun Spear’s frame—

Looked just like someone I’d known for over three years.

“No way… Bone Two?” (T/N: OOoooooooohhhhh. Bone Two is the Sun Spear?)

As if responding—

A message appeared.

[Ping!]
[Stage: Grudge of the Sun Spear]
[Difficulty: Unmeasurable]
[Sun Spear’s grudge toward humanity pierces the heavens.]
[Subdue Sun Spear to unlock Bone Two’s true awakening.]

‘Unmeasurable!’

Insane difficulty.

And a stage meant for me alone—to unlock Bone Two’s true awakening.

Ahh.

A shiver ran down my entire body.

At the same time, I knew what I had to do.

“Old man.”

Step.

I began to walk—

Toward the space between the two supreme beings.

“What are you doing?”

The old man frowned.

“Stop. I told you, that monster isn’t your opponent yet.”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“You said it yourself. This is my mind.”

“…I did.”

Then it didn’t make sense.

It was my job quest.

Why would I need the old man to clear it?

“Look at that child.”

I pointed at Sun Spear.

Black eagle wings. Hollowed black eyes.

No longer a child, but a full-grown adult.

A terrifying form by any measure.

‘But.’

Knowing he was Bone Two in his past life— (T/N: Called it!!)

I felt pity.

If he were just a monster, I wouldn’t care.

‘Is it because he’s mine?’

How hard must it have been?

How much had he suffered?

I started to understand the pain he carried.

“He was just struggling. He just wanted to be free of his grudge.”

“So what are you planning to do?”

“This is my mind… so I’ll bear it. Until that grudge burns out and he surrenders.”

“……”

The old man paused, ready to stop me—

But didn’t.

“He’s my summon. My child. If I can’t bear his grudge, how could I possibly control him?”

“……”

“That’s right. This was never your stage. It was mine from the beginning.”

Step. Step.

I kept walking.

And finally, Sun Spear’s gaze—

Shifted from the old man to me.

[‘Sun Spear’ gazes at you.]

“……!”

Overwhelming killing intent crushed my body.

But I kept walking, silently—

Toward Bone Two.