Chapter 2

"Looks like I made it in time." You hummed, pushing against the massive statue's foot with one hand. The cracks slowly spread throughout its body, before suddenly shattering into thousands of tiny, brittle fragments.

"T-that's the vice-chairman!"

"We're saved…"

The remaining hunters shouted with relief upon your arrival. Peering at them more closely, you feel an awful sensation slowly settle at the pit of your stomach.

Out of the original group of 17, there's only 6 survivors…

"Well, that was anticlimactic…" You sighed, glancing at the shards of stone that originally was the giant statue. "Let's go home."

"Y-yes."

You patiently watched as the hunters headed towards the exit, grimacing at the sight of fresh blood that dotted their bodies. Hopefully the Hunters Association would have healers waiting outside for them.

"Vice-chairman..." A familiar voice rung within your ears.

"Jinwoo? Are you injured?" You blinked at him, surprised he was still frozen behind you. "I can carry you if you'd like…"

"N-no, behind you!"

You turn towards the dungeon walls a short distance away, watching as a lone figure stepped out from the shadows.

A statue?

"I'm sorry." Bloodlust colored their voice as they slowly walked towards you. They pointed at Jinwoo. "I cannot allow that man to leave just yet."

"Ah…" You turn to see a stone angel. Six massive wings were molded upon his back, so lifelike they almost appeared real. Powerful magic emanated from him in waves, far beyond what a regular S-class hunter could handle.

"So who're you?" The statue asked. His smile could have split his face in half as he leered over you. "Are you perhaps, a hunter?"

You remain quiet, staring at him wordlessly.

"But it doesn't matter who you are." A smirk curled at the corner of his cruel lips. "Since you're going to die here."

"Nope."

You stick out your tongue in distaste, noticing how the stone statue's face twitched in annoyance. It amused you to see such a subtle reaction come from someone who was so scary just moments ago.

"Do you realize the forces I can bring to bear against you, Hunter?" The statues in the room that were previously motionless stood up, baring their weapons in a show of arms. "I am Architect, the creator of this dungeon!"

He growled softly, and his statues charged.

»»————-

To you, time seemed to slow down. The stone sculptures that were swiftly dashing towards you slowed to a crawl.

You stood at the edge of their reach, watching, waiting for an opening. It didn't take long before you found a pattern in their movements.

Then, you stepped into their midst, calmly, as if walking through your own front door. You took a step, pausing as a sword sliced the air in front of you. You stepped sideways and forwards as an arrow pierced the space behind you.

Dancing through the lashing weapons of the statues, you took advantage of their closeness to dispatch the stone puppets with powerful blows. With each step you took, statues all around you shattered and disintegrated into brittle shards of stone.

Architect watched, enraptured by the way you moved as you fought. Not quickly, though sometimes you were quick, but perfectly, always where you needed to be.

Almost before he realized it, you were standing in front of him. His army of stone puppets laid listlessly on the floor.

Looking at the woman, the Architect felt a sense of terror wash over him. "You're not a regular hunter… could you be a vessel for one of them?'

"Yup." You popped the 'p' as you cheerfully responded with affirmation. "And one of them is coming here to get you soon." You pointed at him for emphasis.

"Then I'll have to kill you before they arrive!" Architect screamed, a primal sense of anger directed towards something he had to destroy. Long, stone arms formed from his wings, each wielding a different weapon. Then, he vanished.

A yellow aura flared, faintly illuminating the dungeon boss that shot through the air. He was fast!

You flung back your arm, using Reach to propel one of the broken stone statues into your grasp. You held it like a shield, bracing as Architect hurtled towards you like a bullet.

Ugh...

The impact shook your arm to it's core, but you use the short window of opportunity to kick him, blasting him into a faraway wall.

One.

"It's not fair... Your skin is way tougher than mine." You sighed in exasperation at your bruised foot, surprised that the blow didn't shatter him into pieces like the other statues.

"But I still think I'm stronger than you…"

Pressing your advantage, you dash towards him, dodging a flurry of desperate sword strikes to strike him in the face, slamming him into the wall. Not giving him any respite, you grab two arms and rip them clean off his back.

Two.

Architect roared, throwing himself forward in a reckless attack, slamming a stone axe into the side of your body. It barely pushed you back, shattering against your skin. You smiled.

Architect cried out, slamming his feet against the ground instinctively, shooting himself far beyond your reach. Hovering above you, he paused, analyzing the situation.

It's not over yet, he told himself. Even rulers make mistakes. You were in a vessel. He could still win.

Yet, he wavered, breathing heavily. If his blows could barely harm you, what chance did he really have?

Your hair fluttered as you shot upwards, reaching for him. Crying out, you bare your hands towards Architect and pulled, forcing him towards you as if he'd been swatted out of the sky.

Your bare fists met both of his, and the stone arms of Architect exploded, spraying chips of stone and dust outwards. Yellow aura covered your body like a misty blanket, protecting your delicate skin from being pierced through.

Three.

Wingless, he plunged, plummeting back down to the earth below. Even as he fell, he could feel your power, surging around you in a wide spiral, forming a funnel cloud with you at its focus.

A blow he couldn't see struck him in the shoulder, slamming him to the ground. He felt his body crack, revealing something red beneath the stone armor. The smooth floor gave way beneath him, spreading outwards and away like an impact crater.

Four.

It only took four blows to defeat him. The difference in power was overwhelming.

Architect turned his eyes towards you, expression stiff as you stalked towards the rubble he laid upon.

You momentarily met his eyes, but quickly looked away, unable to handle the overwhelming hatred of his gaze.

"Don't look at me like that… you're the one who hit me first." You lightly told him in a monotone voice.

But something was off. Did Architect's eyes always glow... purple?

You paled, sensing danger.

Around you, the shadows seemed to lengthen, shifting around as if they were alive. You've seen this power before, but why would it appear from Architect?

Unless…

Architect exploded.

Stone towers toppled from their foundations. Doors ripped free from their frames. The walls shattered, trembling as shadows burst from the site of impact like violent flashes of lightning.

The darkness swirled in a tempest, growing faster and faster as it circled you, burying you alive. The room was gone, and the landscape was eerie in its stillness.

A glowing pair of purple eyes stared at you from the void.

You gasp, trembling at the gaze of him on you. It felt like something you had never experienced before, greater than any of the other rulers you were used to and far more powerful.

But you were not among the weakest either. You pushed, forcing the shadows back with everything you had.

»»————-

Jinwoo's eyes widened at the sight of your figure struggling against the tempest of whirling darkness. Almost like mist, but far more tangible.

"Vice-chairman!"

You cringed at the pulsing ache of your body and squinted at your friend, who ran desperately towards you.

"No!" You manage to gasp out. "Just go!"

Jinwoo stopped and stared at you, who was writhing on the floor, covered by tendrils of black shadow. They relentlessly covered your body, twisting and squeezing at your legs and arms in order to fully immobilize you.

He thought of your earlier words.

Just go!

That's right, he had to escape, to come back home to his little sister who depended on him.

If he died here, who would take care of her, send her to university? With his mom in the hospital, he was all she had left.

But... you would be fine... right?

Turning his back on you, he saw light illuminating from the open doors, as if beckoning him to leave.

I'm sorry...

Suddenly, he felt his body being lifted into the air. One of Architect's remaining stone figures had snuck up behind him, stabbing through his chest. He looked down, and could see it protrude through him.

Cough-

A mouthful of blood left his lips. The pain was excruciating, but he didn't shout or cry out. In fact... it seemed to be coming from a long way off.

"Jinwoo!"

You scream, straining against your bonds with all your might. You feel it slightly give, but you wouldn't make it in time.

The stone figure slammed Jinwoo down, ripping it's spear out of him. It pulled back it's arm, preparing for another blow.

Am I… going to die here?…

Jinwoo thought of his family, his friends. He thought of the choices he made today that cost him his life. And finally, he thought of you. He hoped at least you would make it out of here alive.

I don't want to die…

His eyes dulled as the spear pierced towards his heart.

It was at that moment. As if someone pressed the pause button on a video, everything suddenly stopped.

No, it didn't stop. But millimeter by millimeter, the spear that should have already taken his life was now slowly coming down towards him. He looked to you, and saw your normally beautiful face stuck in a frozen image of fear.

W-what? What's going on? Why did time suddenly slow down?

Then, a female voice he had never heard all his life rang throughout his head.

[You have fulfilled the conditions of 'Secret Quest: "Courage of the Weak'.]

The voice continued.

[You have obtained the right to become a player. Do you accept?]

Accept?

It sounded like it was giving him something. Jinwoo, who had lived most of his life in poverty, knew better than anyone that there was nothing free in life.

But what good does it matter now, that he was about to die?

As he waited in hesitation, the voice inside his head asked again, more frantically this time.

[There is not much time remaining… Should you refuse, your heart will stop in 0.02 seconds. Do you accept?]

Whether or not this was a hallucination, one thing was certain: his impending death.

Yes… this chance… I'll take it.

He did not speak these words aloud, merely thought them in his head.

But still, the voice responded in relief.

[Welcome… Player]

»»————-