Nightmare of the past (part 1)

"Oh? Boys, it seems we have some company here!"

One of the men exclaimed, and the other four followed with laughter.

They looked to be around twenty to thirty years of age. The one who had just spoken had a handsome face, while the other three had 'ugly' practically written across theirs.

"Hey beautiful, come play with these big brothers! We'll protect you in these wild lands. You know, we're very, very strong!"

The same man spoke to me as if he were my savior; I couldn't have cared less.

"All of you better go on your way. I have no business with you."

My tone was cold, clearly intended to convey I wasn't a pushover.

I saw the men in the back drop their expressions, while the one in the middle kept smiling at me. I could instantly tell he'd been a playboy in the real world—the kind of man I hated most.

"Hehe, beautiful girl, you must have misunderstood your situation. You see, the monster in your arms is ours. So why are you still holding it and not giving it to us? Huh?"

His tone quickly changed to aggression, his true face finally showing.

"This fox is mine now, and I have no intention of handing it to you, nor will I come with you. So, you'd better leave, big brothers, or I might not show you any mercy."

A burst of laughter filled the air.

"Did you hear that, boys? This woman is so frightening..."

"Hahaha"

They kept laughing nonstop, clutching their bellies as if I were a stand-up comedian giving them the best show of their lives.

"Little Miss, I'll make sure to rip that pretty dress of yours to pieces tonight."

The man in the middle licked his lips as he looked at my legs, sending shivers down my spine.

I'd had enough. Summoning my scythe, I used my kinetic slash in a horizontal line.

The black crescent moon traveled fast, leaving the five of them in ten parts.

That was the first time I'd taken a human's life…

So weak…

-You have slain a player character-

-Your experience has increased by 5%-

-You have slain a player character-

-Your experience has increased by 5%-

-You have slain a player character-

-Your experience has increased by 5%-

-You have slain a player character-

-Your experience has increased by 5%-

-You have slain a player character-

-Your experience has increased by 5%-

-CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE ACQUIRED A NEW ACHIEVEMENT-

-PLAYER SLAYER – kill a player for the first time.-

-YOUR SOUL HARVEST SKILL HAS BEEN UPGRADED-

-Soul harvest may now be used to consume the souls of players.-

I'll never use it on humans...

I felt no joy or happiness; I didn't even glance back at the bodies on the ground, nor did I care to loot them.

Carrying the fox monster in my arms, I continued my journey through the thick forest.

It was getting dark, and I knew I had to find shelter.

I wasn't sure what kind of creatures loomed in this forest. The last thing I needed right now was to run into a level 3 or above monster.

Looking around, I eventually found a den in the ground. It wasn't big, but just enough for me and the fox to hide for the night. 

The night came, and the temperature dropped drastically. My body shivered, and the hot steam of my breath was the only thing keeping me slightly warm. 

If it was so cold here in the den, then outside must have been freezing.

I looked at the fox lying next to me. Its body was so red from blood that the cute purple color was almost entirely hidden. I gently stroked its fur to keep it warm and patted its head, giving myself a small comfort.

I regretted not skinning that Ratabo or the wolves to use as a blanket. 

I was too afraid to fall asleep in this cold. I'd watched too many documentaries about people dying in the cold, and I knew I had to keep my body moving.

In the cold embrace of the forest, I felt like my old life may not have been so bad after all. At least I'd had a warm bed and hot food to warm up after a freezing day outside.

My shivering body grew more and more numb, but then I remembered my skill points and the stat called Element Resist. 

If I am right, this skill should increase my resistance to elements such as cold. I just wonder by how much, since it's not specifically called cold resist.

I focused my mind on opening the User menu.

-User menu-

-User: Lee Gaon.- 

-Level 2 (30%)-

-Death Eater. -

-Stats:-

-Level 5 Current Stamina 50 (+) -

-Level 7 Current Attack 70 (+) -

-Level 5 (Level 11) Current Magic 110 (+) -

-Level 6 (Level 10) Current Strength 100 (+) -

-Level 3 Element Resist (+) -

-Unused skill points 22 -

I should increase my Element Resistance to level 5 and hope it eases my situation.

-Level 3 Element Resist -> Level 5-

I exited the user menu to find myself less cold. It was bearable now, like a cold summer night—not enough to kill me if I fell asleep.

Overjoyed with this improvement, I reentered the User menu.

It was time to upgrade my overall stats. With 20 skill points left, I should first increase the level of the basic stats.

-Level 3 Magic Growth -> Level 6 (increases magic stat by 12)- 

-Level 2 Strength Growth -> Level 6 (increases strength stat by 12)-

Good! Now, my defensive and mana stats were most important for survival.

-Level 5 Defense -> Level 7 Current Defense 70-

-Level 6 Mana -> Level 10 Current Mana 200/200-

-Level 5 Mana Regeneration -> Level 10 (10/sec)-

And the rest would go to stamina.

-Level 5 Stamina -> Level 7 Current Stamina 70-

I was finally done!

The little fox next to me was the only comfort I could get in this world.

Many new things happened to me today, but the most traumatizing was my death and revival. At the moment the monster's attack pierced my head, my life flashed before my eyes. I wanted to keep those memories hidden deep inside me, but they kept pushing and forcing themselves to be known, haunting me every day. Like ants that are impossible to get rid of, my memories of that time kept growing, refusing to let go. 

I wanted revenge! How I hoped I'd see you again in this world, Kim Ha-Joon!

He was the reason, the one who ruined my life…

As I patted the fox next to me, my eyes grew heavier with each passing moment. 

I would never forget...

I dozed off.

...

Three years ago...

In an apartment somewhere in Seoul.

"Mom! I'm leaving!"

"Eh?!... You're leaving so fast? Your tournament starts in five hours. What are you going to do there so early?"

"It's okay! I want to get some fresh air. You know me, I hate staying in one place."

"Oh, okay, but at least make sure to eat something on the way. Here, take my credit card. Eat whatever you want, sweetie." 

The woman in her early forties smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Mom! After I win the grand prize, I'll treat everyone to a fancy dinner!"

The girl, around twenty years old, giggled teasingly as she waved her mother goodbye.

Rushing down to the elevator, she looked full of smiles, with a hope in her eyes so bright it could be blinding.

"This is it. I've finally reached the finals! One more victory over my opponent, and I'll claim the title!"

...

"Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! To the finals of The World of Dragonia! This long-awaited match between two rookie superstars is going to be legendary! Today's match will be presented by us, your loyal commentators Park Ji-Ho, Lee Minjun, and the one and only five-time world champion Jeong Suhan!"

"Thank you so much for the introduction, Mr. Park Ji-Ho. You honor me too much..."The man wore medium-length silver hair and looked to be in his thirties.

"No, no, no, it's okay. We're glad to have you here!" 

"That's right! With the best player in the world overseeing this match, these finals will be the most talked about this decade!"

"Thank you, Mr. Lee Minjun. It's an honor to be here. Truth be told, I'm very interested in this new woman player. I've met many women in the tournament, but they all failed in the early rounds. It was a big surprise to hear that one had reached the finals. I can't wait to see this fight."

"That's right! Our latest rookie superstar, Lee Gaon, has swept everyone in her path with ease. Her achievements have already secured her partnerships with top teams, and maybe someday she could even join the Sun Gaming team! What's your take on this, Mr. Jeong Suhan?"

"Yes, well, I can't give you too much information about our team's internal plans. But I can confidently say that we've taken notice of her achievements and are looking forward to what she can show us today. Of course, if she can first beat our current best player, Kim Ha-Joon. But I personally wouldn't bet on that... hahaha. But who knows..."

"Yes... who knows indeed! Both Lee Gaon and Kim Ha-Joon have reached the finals undefeated, and today they face each other in the final clash! The winner takes it all. One billion won!"

The crowd cheers

"To be honest, I expected more this year, but one billion won for a one-versus-one tournament is still quite a spectacular sum!"

"Oh, it seems the match is starting! And it appears Kim Ha-Joon will be playing as a Warlock today!"

"Good choice! Warlock is currently one of the strongest classes in the current meta. In Kim Ha-Joon's hands, it'll be even more powerful. I've watched his streams, and his control over the character is otherworldly. He's like a robot!"

"Hahaha... You praise our junior too much, Mr. Lee Minjun. But yes, he's extremely talented. I'll lower my pride today and tell you all a secret."

"Oh? What could it be, Mr. Jeong Suhan?"

"I've played against Kim Ha-Joon twenty times, and I lost every match."

"What?!"

"What?!"

"Even the renowned world champion lost to Kim Ha-Joon?"

"I can't imagine how Lee Gaon could win against such a monster!" 

"Well, we can't jump the gun and proclaim him the victor yet."