IRHHAC 06

Chapter 06

Vow (2)

The rundown warehouse district on the outskirts of Thebes.

At the entrance of an alley reeking of rot, pools of blood had gathered.

In this place where barely any light reached, someone who had been precious to another just hours ago now lay cold as a corpse.

“Kekeke. Not bad for early profits.”
“Even F-ranks crawl in here thinking they can climb the Tower.”

A man in a black hood chuckled as he casually wiped his bloodstained blade on his sleeve.

On the ground lay a rookie hunter who looked barely twenty, staring blankly into the air in death. The shock of his final moment was frozen on his face.

“This guy’s gear is pretty good. Some rich kid or something? A D-rank wearing A-rank gear?”

He spat as he stripped the armor off the corpse. What was a tragedy to someone else was merely an entertaining hunt to them.

“That’s already seven today. Everyone’s leveled up quite a bit, right?”
“Of course. Experience is the same whether it’s monsters or humans. I’m already level 6.”

They were members of the assassin guild “Darkness.”

In just one day since arriving in Thebes, they had hunted dozens of hunters. To them, human life was nothing more than materials for experience and equipment.

But there was something they didn’t know.

Another hunter—one targeting them—was already close.

Step.

Footsteps echoed from the entrance of the alley.

“Who’s there?”

The hooded assassins turned at once.

A single figure slowly approached through the darkness. Under the faint moonlight, his silhouette became clear.

“What, you saw everything?”
“Oh? He’s alone? Since he witnessed us…”

Before they could finish speaking—

A massive sword tore through the air.

No sound. A perfect cut.

Slash—

A thin red line appeared across one man’s neck, and his head dropped, rolling across the ground.

His body remained standing for a moment—headless.

“H-how is he swinging a greatsword like a dagger?!”

The remaining assassins panicked and drew their weapons—but it was already too late.

Kim Jun stepped fully into the light. Blood still dripped from the greatsword in his hand.

“Filth.”

His voice, filled with rage, pressed down on the entire alley.

“Why did I ever leave you alive?”

The assassins looked at each other.

What filled their eyes was primal fear.

The absolute helplessness felt before overwhelming power. The instinctive terror of prey before a predator froze their bodies.

Tremble—

Kim Jun slowly walked toward them.

None of them could even take a step.

“W-wait…”

One of the smarter-looking ones began to beg.

“We’ll give you all our coins, equipment, information—just spare our lives…”

Thrust—!

“Ghk—!”

The greatsword pierced straight through his chest. Blood poured from his mouth.

“Information?”

Kim Jun looked down coldly.

“I don’t need it. I already know everything.”

If they hadn’t existed, his previous life would have been very different.

Hunters wouldn’t have died to them. Han Suin would still be alive. The people of the Tower would still be alive.

If all of them had worked together—perhaps they could have reached the 100th floor.

So what Kim Jun cut down wasn’t just these insects.

He was cutting away his own past foolishness—

The weakness that had let him overlook the enemy right in front of him.

As the greatsword severed their lives, something within him was severed as well.

“I’ll kill you all.”

They say to hate the sin, not the sinner.

Thrust—!

“Gah—!”
“Run! Run!”

But when sin had devoured everything that made them human—could they still be called human?

“Die.”

What Kim Jun cut down… was sin itself.

“This should be the place.”

Drag—

He dragged the tip of his greatsword along the ground as he walked toward the source of the stench.

The scraping sound echoed like a grim prelude.

Not far away—

The hideout of “Darkness.”

“Kekeke.”
“Think we can start hunting stronger prey now.”

Laughter echoed from the shadows.

Kim Jun could clearly see their outlines.

Roughly thirty of them.

He adjusted his stance.

With the intent to end it in a single strike.

Fwoosh—

Flames of a dragon began to wrap around his blade.

Whoooosh—

The fire spread across his entire body.

“What the hell is that?”
“Fire?”

Flare—!

His killing intent was transmitted into the flames.

[“Berserk D” activated.]
[Current Rage Level: Stage 2]
[Effect: Attack +5%, Agility +5%]
[Warning: Loss of self possible at rage limit.]

“What the hell is that guy?”

The raised greatsword came crashing down.

BOOOOM—!

As it struck the ground, dragon fire spread outward in a fan, turning them to ash.

“Aaaagh!”
“What are you doing?! Kill him!”

Those who avoided the flames regained their senses and glared at Kim Jun.

Assassins composed of A- and B-ranks. They drew their weapons proudly.

Shhk—

Dozens of hidden weapons flew toward him from all directions.

Some moved swiftly, aiming for his blind spots from the shadows.

“Die!”

Grab—

“Ugh—!”

But the one caught was not Kim Jun—it was the attacker’s throat.

Crunch—!

Seeing their comrade’s neck crushed, the others tried to flee—too late.

Step—

Each step—

Thud—

Another head fell.

Drip—

Soon the entire alley was soaked in blood.

Even as it pooled around his ankles, Kim Jun’s eyes never wavered.

The surviving assassins, realizing they couldn’t win, pulled out poisoned daggers.

Green venom glistened at their tips.

“One hit and you’re finished.”

At the signal—

Hundreds of poisoned blades rained down.

Ratatat—

“No matter how strong you are, you can’t dodge all of this!”

But Kim Jun simply stood still.

“Given up? Figures—you can’t avoid my technique.”
“You’re dead!”

They cheered, convinced of victory. Their paralysis poison could incapacitate even S-rank hunters instantly.

But instead—

A red glow rose from Kim Jun’s body.

“Dragon Blood Awakening.”

At his quiet words, his entire body ignited in crimson.

Veins glowed like molten lava beneath his skin.

[“Dragon Blood Awakening S” activated]
[All status effects removed]
[All toxins neutralized]
[Attack power +30% temporarily]

The daggers embedded in his body began to fall to the ground one by one.

“W-what…?!”

Despair spread across their faces.

Their certain victory had been overturned in an instant.

They couldn’t understand.

Even S-rank hunters die if their vital points are struck. That was the natural order.

But this man—

“Dragon Slash.”

CRASH—!

Everything they knew had been shattered.

No attack worked. No poison worked. No weapon worked.

Like livestock waiting in line at a slaughterhouse, they were simply beheaded one by one.

“Haah…”

Kim Jun lowered his greatsword and looked around.

The alley was covered in corpses and blood.

The assassin guild’s remnants were wiped out.

Almost all of them.

As he turned to leave, something caught his eye—a small box in the corner.

It looked ordinary, but faintly glowed.

Inside was something wrapped in black cloth.

He unwrapped it carefully.

A robe with a strange sheen.

“…This?”

As he lifted it, the surrounding light seemed to bend slightly.

It was as if it wanted to merge with shadows.

[Item Found: “Embrace of Shadows”]
[Rank: C]
[Type: Robe]
[Effect: Enter stealth when worn. Movement speed -30%]

“Perfect for Suin.”

At the bottom of the box was another item.

A uniquely shaped dagger.

Its curved blade resembled a serpent’s fang, with faint runes carved into the handle.

[Item Found: “Serpent Fang”]
[Rank: C]
[Type: Dagger]
[Effect: Bleed chance +25%, Bleed damage +40%]
[Additional Effect: Skill “Viper Strike” available]

“This one’s good too.”

Kim Jun stored both items in his subspace pouch.

Such luck was rare—especially C-rank gear this early in the Tower.

He secured his greatsword on his back, brushed off the blood from his clothes, and silently left the hideout.

After his footsteps faded—

A faint movement stirred among the corpses.

One assassin slowly rose from beneath the bodies.

“Ghh…”

He coughed up blood, barely standing.

A wound marked his neck—but it wasn’t fatal. A corpse had shielded him.

“I’ll kill you… Kim Jun…!”

The second morning after the Tower opened.

“Fresh bread!”
“Buy your healing potions!”

Thebes’ marketplace bustled with hunters.

“Hyung! Hyung!”
“Minsoo?”

Kim Jun turned at the familiar voice.

Park Minsoo ran toward him, followed by Lee Seoyeon, Ryu Jia, and Han Suin.

“That was you, right?”
“What?”
“The one who killed the dragon. The one who got the hidden class!”

Minsoo’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

He instinctively knew—it had to be Kim Jun.

“Right?!”

“Yeah.”

“Kyaa! I knew it! I told everyone—it’s our boss! Hahaha!”

Minsoo cheered, slapping Kim Jun’s shoulder.

But Kim Jun’s gaze was already fixed elsewhere.

On Han Suin, standing quietly behind them.

“….”

Silent as always.

Her living figure overlapped with the cold memory of her death from his past life.

“Good work.”

“…?”

He stepped closer and gently placed his hand on her head.

Warmth seeped through her black hair.

“…!?”

Suin’s eyes widened.

Her usually stoic guild leader showing such tenderness—it was rare.

And what she felt wasn’t just a greeting.

There was relief… and something deeper.

“Oppa! Me too! I advanced first!”

Ryu Jia grabbed his arm, pouting playfully.

“Heh. Good job, Jia.”

“Minsoo came in last again!”

“Hey! Tank trials take longer! They made me block attacks for an hour while hitting me with a hammer, yelling ‘A true tank is an unbreakable wall!’ And then—”

His desperate explanation only made everyone laugh harder.

“Yeah, not buying it.”

Jia shook her head.

“I’m serious!”

Seoyeon wiped tears of laughter.

“It’s okay, Minsoo. Tanks are always reliable.”

Kim Jun quietly watched the moment.

His companions laughing, joking, alive.

The five members of the Han Guild walked together through the streets of Thebes—

Under warm sunlight, among lively shops and smiling crowds.