Lure the Killer

In a dimly lit underground chamber, the flickering candlelight in the corners of the walls cast a gloomy atmosphere. At the center of the room, a large stone table drew all attention. Shadows gathered around it, some sitting casually, others standing with arms crossed. The air was thick with tension. In every corner, a cold and menacing aura could be felt.

The Abyss Lord sat calmly at the end of the table. His face was hidden in the shadows, which even the candlelight couldn't reveal. Not a single word escaped his mouth, yet his mere presence was enough to keep the others on edge.

"I heard... The Necromancer is dead," Blood Priestess broke the silence, her hand stroking a goblet filled with a thick red liquid that was clearly not wine. Her thin smile carried a mocking tone.

Iron Revenant growled, his muscular hands tightening on the table. "Huh, Cho Kyung-Min was weak. Too much time playing with corpses instead of focusing on real combat."

The Abyss Lord didn't move a muscle. "Weak or not, he was one of us," he spoke softly, but with a threatening undertone. "The Necromancer's death is not something we can ignore."

"He was killed by an unknown awakener. We haven't been able to trace their identity yet," Phantom Warlord added, his voice cold and flat like mist. "But according to the latest information, his death occurred near the false rumor about the thousand-year-old ginseng we spread."

"So, our trap is claiming victims?" Void Walker grinned from a corner of the room, his hand playing with a small dimensional rift in front of him. "But not the one we expected, huh?"

Blood Priestess chuckled softly, placing the blood-filled goblet back on the table. "Ah, but this is interesting. If there's an awakener strong enough to kill The Necromancer, perhaps we should... meet them. I do love a new challenge."

"He's not a challenge. He's a threat," Abyss Lord interrupted. "And threats must be eliminated."

Iron Revenant slammed his fist on the table. "I can crush him. I'll leave right now if you give me his exact location."

Phantom Warlord shook his head. "We can't act recklessly. If this person is strong enough to kill The Necromancer, they won't be easy to tame. We need to learn more about them before we make a move."

Void Walker sneered cunningly, "Or maybe... we could play a little smarter this time? Use one threat to eliminate another."

The Abyss Lord listened quietly, his eyes glowing dimly beneath the hood of his black robe. "Go on."

"If this person is a threat to us, they could also be a threat to the larger guilds. We spread more rumors, make them appear like a danger to everyone. Let the big guilds do the dirty work for us." Void Walker explained his plan, his voice a smooth whisper.

A soft laugh came from Blood Priestess. "Oh, I like that. Let others do the dirty work while we sit back and watch them fall one by one."

The Abyss Lord finally stood, an aura of darkness enveloping his body, dominating the room entirely. "We will do that. Spread more traps, increase the number of artificial gates, and make the hunter world distrustful of one another. But never underestimate anyone strong enough to kill The Necromancer. Those who stand against us will fall."

The meeting ended without any formal goodbyes. Each member vanished in their own way. Iron Revenant stomped the ground and disappeared like a shadow absorbed into the earth. Phantom Warlord drifted away in a mist, vanishing as if he had never been there. Blood Priestess grinned before her body dissolved like blood soaking into the walls.

Lastly, the Abyss Lord glanced at the seat where The Necromancer should have been. An empty chair.

"We will avenge you, Cho Kyung-Min... and we will make the world kneel beneath our darkness."

He turned and disappeared into the thick fog that filled the room.

Iron Revenant strode down the underground corridors of their stronghold, the aura of death palpable with each of his heavy steps. His large body and bulging muscles added to the fearsome image of this human monster. Several of his subordinates followed closely behind, walking briskly to match their master's pace.

"Idiots! Do you really have no brains, huh?" his voice thundered like a storm, echoing off the moss-covered stone walls. "How are we supposed to find the person who killed The Necromancer when your plans are so shallow?!"

In front of a large room filled with weapons and forbidden artifacts, Iron Revenant came to a halt. He turned toward one of his subordinates, a thinner man who looked terrified.

"Come on, give me one suggestion. If you fail, I'll make sure every bone in your body is crushed one by one."

The subordinate swallowed hard, sweating under Iron Revenant's gaze. "U-um, maybe we could... increase the number of artificial gates. That way, we could lure strong hunters who prefer to solo..."

"Luring strong hunters?" Iron Revenant's eyes narrowed. "That's obvious. What's different about this stupid plan?"

The subordinate trembled. "W-we could rig the gates with more complex traps, making it so only hunters with special skills can survive—"

BRAKK!!

A quick punch from Iron Revenant smashed into the head of his subordinate. The man flew back, crashing hard into the wall, blood spurting from his mouth and nose.

Still unsatisfied, Iron Revenant quickly strode toward the subordinate's collapsed body. He lifted the unfortunate man with one hand as if he were holding a ragdoll.

"You think I'm an idiot?!" he roared, then brutally smashed the subordinate's face.

One punch. KRACK! The man's cheekbone shattered instantly, blood flowing from his dislocated jaw. His eyes began to water as he tried to wriggle out of the monster's grip.

Two punches. BANG! The subordinate's head slammed into the wall again, this time with more force. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the room, followed by a short scream that abruptly stopped.

Iron Revenant tossed the subordinate's body to the floor like garbage. The man lay motionless, blood pooling from his mouth and ears, his skull completely shattered.

A heavy silence enveloped the room. All the remaining subordinates swallowed nervously, their bodies trembling with fear. None dared move. None dared lift their heads.

"Next time," Iron Revenant muttered in a low, menacing voice, "give me a smarter answer."

He turned toward another subordinate standing a bit further back. The man looked nervous, but he knew this was his chance to survive.

"I-I have another suggestion, sir."

Iron Revenant approached, his eyes narrowing in attention. "Speak."

The subordinate took a deep breath before speaking, "We know the hunter is incredibly strong since he managed to kill The Necromancer. But perhaps… he's not the type who likes working with others. What if we spread false information that there's a treasure inside the artificial gates, something only strong enough hunters can claim on their own?"

Hearing this idea, Iron Revenant paused for a moment, contemplating. His sharp gaze focused on the subordinate, who now felt a bit more at ease.

"Continue," he ordered.

"If that hunter is really interested in treasure, he might come chasing the gates we create. Once he enters, we can trap him inside. We control the gates, and we can ensure he can't escape without facing deadly challenges," the subordinate explained, now more confident.

Iron Revenant nodded slowly. "That's a better idea."

He raised his hand, signaling that the man was safe… for now. "Gather our best. Spread the rumor. If that man does come, I'll make sure he dies by my hands."

A cold smile crept across his face. "And this time… there will be no escape."

I stepped out of the Crimson Lotus guild building after finishing my contract as a freelancer. The evening air felt fresher as I walked toward the nearest convenience store. My stomach was growling after a whole day of negotiating that damn contract, and a cold beer seemed like the perfect remedy.

I entered the store, grabbed a few cans of beer and some ready-to-eat meals. Before long, I was at the cashier, waiting for my turn.

"That'll be thirty thousand won," the cashier said, with that robotic smile that looked fake. I lazily pulled out my card and paid.

After finishing up, I headed back to my apartment. Once there, I collapsed onto the sofa, placing the groceries on the table, and popped open a beer with a satisfying "Pshhh". I took a big gulp, feeling the cold liquid slide down my throat. Leaning back, I tried to relax after a long day.

But thoughts of the Black Crescent Cult kept gnawing at me. Damn, I really got played with that 1000-year-old ginseng rumor. It felt like being promised a jackpot but ending up with a pile of crap instead.

"Those cult bastards, they think they can outsmart me? If I find them again, I'll make sure there's nothing left of them." I muttered, throwing the empty beer can into the trash bin in the corner.

My stomach growled, so I opened up the ready meal I bought. While eating, my brain started whirling again, thinking of strategies to dig deeper into the Black Crescent Cult. They had to pay in full, especially after that incident. I'd already torn apart one of them, The Necromancer. Now it was the others' turn.

After finishing my meal, I leaned back again. I knew this wasn't over. But right now, I was too tired. After downing the last of the beer, I finally fell asleep on the sofa, with one thought in my head: the Black Crescent Cult will pay for this in blood.