Puhak!!!

A cold pain stabs through my abdomen. Scarlet blood splashes before my eyes as a blade bursts upward from my stomach into view.

"Kgh!"

BOOM!!

An explosion crashes into me from somewhere, engulfing my body in a shockwave. I'm hurled dozens of meters away and slam headfirst into the cracked asphalt.

"Guh..."

I barely manage to push my battered body upright. My surroundings come into view.

Buildings lie in ruin, the city turned to ashes after the 72nd-floor boss fight.

The dark gray clouds part, and dazzling sunlight pours through.

Bathed in that golden light, my comrades approached.

The top-ranked players from each field, the guild masters of Korea's seven great guilds, and their elite guild members emerge, silhouetted against the light like heroes of justice.

And then—

As if delivering judgment, they declare:

"Lee Dohyun!! We sentence you to eternal death!!!"

"Unison Magic Ritual—Deploy!"

[Mana Drain]

[Bind]

A massive magic circle forms beneath me. My feet stick to the ground, and the last handful of mana I'd saved after the boss fight vanishes.

'What the hell is going on?'

Everything unfolds as if it's been rehearsed, perfectly in sync, as though this was all long planned.

I can't believe it...

When did they start planning this?

Why the hell would they want to kill me?

Not long ago, we were proudly calling ourselves the best raid team in the world...

Even as I think, the last dregs of mana are sucked from me, leaving me empty.

Mana Drain is a trash skill, barely 10% efficient, but when hundreds of top-tier rankers use it all at once, its power surpasses any one individual's might.

"His mana is sealed. Everyone, attack!!"

"Guh... Why?!"

My words go ignored. My comrades charge at me with murderous intent.

I don’t know why, but I can't just die like this.

The hole in my stomach heals in an instant as I face them.

The problem is, without mana, I can’t fight them properly.

I'm a magic swordsman who buffs my body with mana to fight. I can’t even summon my weapon from subspace without it.

Still.

Even barehanded, I fight.

THWACK!!

I dodge the hook from a massive man at the front by twisting my head and torso the opposite way, then slam a counterpunch into his face and drop him.

An icicle flies in, piercing a gaping hole through my thigh.

The team's best tank smashes a giant shield down on me.

I rip through the shield with my fist, reach in, and punch him square in the solar plexus, sending him flying.

An arrow strikes me from somewhere. Then magic of every element rains down, burning and crushing my body.

The man once called the Sword Saint lunges at my throat with his blade.

As my neck is half-severed, I grab his face with both hands and gouge out his eyes with my thumbs.

Squish!!

His eyeballs explode.

"Aaargh!!! You insane monster!!!"

Then, blue flames erupt beneath me, engulfing my entire body.

The searing fire burrows through my open wounds, roasting my organs and brain.

"Kill him! Kill him completely!!!"

"...Is it finally over?"

Not even a final word or explanation—death takes me.

'No, this isn’t the end.'

The reward for solo-clearing the 50th floor—my max-enhanced SSS-rank trait, [Blessing of the Undying]

Sizzle...

The flames fade. My charred, severed head reattaches to my body. My wounds regenerate.

"He’s resurrecting!!!"

"Damn it, what kind of busted trait is that?!"

"Don’t panic. This was part of the plan."

They act as if they predicted this. They cut my neck again, burn my body again.

Though they take some damage in our clashes, they’re simply too many.

'Ah... I believed they were my comrades...'

Thinking they were true allies, I revealed everything. That was my fatal mistake.

The destruction outpaces my regeneration.

"What a fool. Willpower alone isn’t enough to win a battle."

Standing proudly at the back is Baek Dohyun, leader of the mage guild, smirking.

'He's the ringleader...'

I’d suspected when we disagreed before, but I never imagined he’d rally everyone behind my back.

Meticulous planning.

Overwhelming power.

Even the supposedly innocent comrades must've been manipulated somehow...

'I won’t forgive them... Someday, I’ll return and take my revenge!!!'

But even as I vow it, my consciousness begins to fade.

'No... not yet!!!'

"You think we attacked without a way to counter that trait?"

Squelch!!!

Someone swings a massive sword and shatters my regenerating body into pieces.

Even so, cells slowly begin to regenerate.

Scattered blood floats, forming veins. Nerves, muscles, and bones gradually attach.

Limbs and a head begin to reform.

"Damn it, we really had to kill him now."

"Freaking monster bastard..."

"Seeing it in person... I’m speechless. Is this thing even human?"

They then follow their plan—freezing the regenerating pieces and sealing them in special coffins.

"This should stop him from reviving any further."

'Is... is this really the end?'

Betrayed for reasons unknown, I pay the price for trust.

My body is divided into seven pieces, each sealed in a special container.

My vision dims, and consciousness sinks into deep darkness.

​

How much time has passed?

It feels like I’m alone in a dark universe.

I can’t see anything.

No matter how far I run, the darkness remains.

No matter how long I wait, the darkness doesn’t change.

An endless void like deep space.

Still, I run.

Struggling, reaching for even the faintest hope.

Revenge.

The top of the Tower.

There’s so much I haven’t done! I can’t end it like this!!!

Then, a tiny light appears in the distance.

So faint it could vanish in an instant if I lose focus.

There.

I have to reach it.

I tear through the darkness, running like mad.

How long do I run?

A minute? A year? In this twisted space-time, I sprint endlessly.

The light grows, glowing with a pink hue.

Particles from the rift streak past me.

Up close, the pink glow seeps from a small hole, just big enough for my hand.

I can’t get through like this.

But I can’t give up now.

I grab the hole with both hands and yank it open.

Creak...

It feels like I’m touching flesh.

Sticky, unknown fluid oozes out as I shove my head and arms in to widen it.

Finally, I force my body through the sticky, pink tunnel.

Fwop!!

"Kuhak!!!"

As soon as I regain consciousness, I feel suffocated.

My body is wrapped tightly in something plastic-like.

"Nghhh!!!"

Instinctively, I raise my arms over my head and tear at the stuff wrapping me.

One layer, then another...

I peel away the suffocating sheets.

'Ugh, I can’t breathe...'

Back in the day, I could’ve shredded this with one finger, but my body must be in terrible shape.

Rip... Tear!!

Finally, just when I can’t hold my breath any longer—

“Pwah!!!”

I rip through the last layer and emerge into the bright world.

I gulp in the sweet air and open my eyes.

A clear, brilliant blue sky.

The sun shines down on the world.

“Ha! I’m back—huh?”

Hmm?

'Wait, something’s off...'

Being dumped in a junkyard, maybe I was tossed out as a corpse, fine.

'But why is my voice so high?'

Surely not—terrified, I look down.

“Ehhk?”

There they are—two impossibly full, plump mounds hanging from my chest.

'Why... why are these on my body?'

Just to be sure, I grab them with both hands...

Squish~ Squish~

So soft and bouncy, they overflow from my hands.

“Hehh?”

A dumbfounded moan escapes my lips.

“No way... sh*t, no... is my dick gone?”

I frantically reach down to find my precious rod—but it’s not there.

'Aah...'

An important part of me died today.