Chapter 10: Guild Dungeon (3)

“It’s you. The child born with the fate of the ‘Rival’.”

Jae-hyun looked at the woman who had appeared before him.

Clad in an enchanting black dress, she was beautiful yet grotesque at the same time.

Half her face was a skull about to crumble into bone fragments, while the other half boasted an indescribable beauty.

It was a sight so strange it defied explanation.

‘Who is this woman…?’

As blood poured out, his consciousness began to fade.

The Nightshade’s fist, which seemed to have paused in a still frame of a movie, was suspended a few centimeters from him, motionless.

“…Did you stop it?”

Although his question stemmed from conquered fear, the woman did not answer.

Instead, she simply looked at Jae-hyun with interest and smiled faintly.

She crouched in front of him, her long black nails targeting his throat, and an intoxicating scent of ‘death blood’ emanated from her.

Soon, her alluring violet lips began to part slowly, and Jae-hyun leaned forward to hear her words.

“Hmm… They said you were to kill the ‘Rival.’ An utter novice, aren’t you? Your skeleton is ordinary… your magic is useful but not enough to oppose the Aesir gods.”

The woman rambled her complaints, resting her chin lightly on her opposite hand.

“Why did Loki choose such a child as the Rival?”

Her chilling tone sent shivers down Jae-hyun’s spine, and numerous questions swirled in his head.

Is this woman… an enemy?

Then why did she save me from the Nightshade?

And the term ‘Rival,’ I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere before…

‘…Damn, have I lost too much blood? I can’t remember anything.’

A gust of wind blows.

The woman pricked Jae-hyun’s Adam’s apple with the nail that had been aimed at him.

A fine trickle of blood slid down his throat to his collarbone.

Watching the blood pool deep in his neck, the corners of the woman’s lips began to curl up.

The dizzying scent made it difficult for him to keep his mind from flying away.

Still, Jae-hyun held on, quietly exerting strength on the staff wedged into his thighs.

If he collapsed here, all his plans would be shattered.

His revenge for his father, his desire to succeed as a wizard.

Everything would crumble.

So he had to endure.

“Even so.”

With a faint smile, the woman brought her face close to Jae-hyun’s.

“I like the look in your eyes.”

She chuckled as she observed Jae-hyun, who in a desperate and life-threatening situation, showed a strong will to live instead of fear.

If she didn’t find such a human interesting, that would be stranger.

“But child, you’re too weak. ‘End-times’ are coming much faster than you think. You must become stronger quickly.

If you fail and everything repeats like that hell, then—”

Jae-hyun wanted to ask something, but no voice came out.

The woman, having prodded his Adam’s apple, now grabbed his throat with a gentle laugh.

“I will kill you first.”

“Gurk!”

Already bleeding profusely, Jae-hyun had no means to resist her overwhelming strength.

Desperately trying to stay conscious was all he could do.

‘Damn…’

He was struggling not to be overwhelmed by fear.

‘What is this? Who is this woman…!’

“Gurk!”

As suffocating pain assaulted Jae-hyun, the woman released her grip on his throat.

She smiled at him benevolently and said,

“You are important to us. So I’ll give you a chance.”

The woman continued with a chilling smile.

“Become stronger. Overthrow this Nightshade before you. If you do, I’ll give you a very special gift.

But as I said before, you don’t have much time. Two months. Make sure you defeat this creature by then.”

As the woman’s voice echoed, a refreshing system sound resonated in Jae-hyun’s mind.

– Your first Main Quest has arrived.

– Main Quest《Trial of Hel》 has been received.

[Main Quest]

Trial of Hel

The ruler of Helheim, Hel, gives you a trial. Defeat the Nightshade within the time limit and earn Hel’s recognition.

Difficulty: C

Rewards: Hel’s Gift (content can be checked upon clearing the quest)

Remaining Time: 59 days, 23:59

Failure Penalty: Death

While losing consciousness, Jae-hyun felt puzzled upon seeing the new quest given by the system, a Main Quest, something he had never seen before.

‘Is there a connection between this system and… that woman?’

It was a valid guess.

But he had no time to think deeply.

Sssss…

As the woman maintained her faint smile, countless black hands emerged from beneath Jae-hyun, grasping him and began to drag him down slowly.

Jae-hyun’s eyes narrowed.

‘What is… this?!’

Feeling intense horror from the bizarre and grotesque black hands, Jae-hyun’s mind was pulled further away from reality with each touch.

Meanwhile, the woman’s faint voice echoed in his fading consciousness.

“Remember, if you don’t show growth within that time, you will die by my hand.”

In a dark and unfathomable shadow, as Jae-hyun was pulled into the earth’s abyss, the woman turned away.

“Ah, child chosen by Nornir. I bid you good luck.”

* * *

Fizzz… Thud!

Magical forces collided in a high-voltage burst. Almost simultaneously, a giant wooden door slammed shut, and a dying scream exploded at the entrance of the dungeon.

“Gurk!”

With an almost comical voice, Jae-hyun suddenly opened his eyes.

“Haah… Haah…”

His body was drenched in sweat, and he breathed heavily, gasping for air.

Like a diver who surfaced after being submerged for too long, his ears felt plugged, and his vision was unclear.

He was dizzy and struggled to comprehend the situation, but one thing was certain.

“Is this… the dungeon entrance?”

As his eyes focused and his mind returned to normal, Jae-hyun felt his abdomen and ran his hand over it a couple of times.

His lips quivered.

“This is…”

The wound he received from the Nightshade had completely vanished.

‘Did that woman heal me?’

It had been a terrible wound that could have killed him at any moment.

The Nightshade’s fist had punctured Jae-hyun’s frail skin, and, with his remaining strength depleting, he had bled profusely.

‘What the hell? That woman…’

Jae-hyun frowned.

Then, a refreshing system message arrived.

– You have received your first Main Quest. Displaying information.

[Main Quest]

Reward: Hel’s Gift (content can be checked upon clearing the quest)

Remaining Time: 59 days, 23:34

Failure Penalty: Death

Trembling, Jae-hyun muttered,

“It wasn’t a dream.”

He resigned himself to the realization that the woman he had encountered was indeed related to this ‘Nornir System’ and was deeply connected to his regression.

Simultaneously,

Jae-hyun’s gaze rested on the field with the Main Quest’s name.

―Trial of Hel.

Hel. It was a familiar name.

The god of the realm of the dead, Helheim, ruling over the end of everything in the nine worlds of mythology.

“Did I… really meet a god?”

It was an extraordinary notion, yet it didn’t feel out of place.

This world was now embroidered with mythology.

Moreover, the protagonists of the myths are the Aesir gods centered around Odin. Mere mortals or lesser creatures of Midgard are not the main characters in this story.

Then it would be natural for gods to exist in this world.

‘Of course, it’s just a theory, but highly probable.’

Amidst all the uncertainty, Jae-hyun began to organize his circumstances.

‘Just before, I was transferred, not to the usual E-grade dungeon, but to Helheim through the Nornir System’s summoning. There, I nearly died from an attack by the Nightshade.

The one who saved me and brought me back… was Hel.’

Does that mean Hel deemed him valuable enough to use?

She called Jae-hyun the ‘Rival.’

She also mentioned ‘Loki’ chose him to challenge the Aesir gods.

“I recall, before my regression… right after obtaining the Nornir System, I heard something similar.”

―You have become the Rival of the high throne of the Aesir gods.

“Everything is unclear. Why I regressed,

what they mean by the ‘Rival’ that Hel mentioned, and what they want from me. However…”

Despite his confusion, Jae-hyun clenched his fist, determined.

“One thing is certain.”

He must become stronger.

Jae-hyun reiterated this to himself.

“If everything Hel said is true… I must defeat the Nightshade within two months. Otherwise, she will surely kill me.”

Hel had indeed given him a chance by sparing his life.

However, this was a meaningless offer if Jae-hyun could not defeat the Nightshade within the two-month reprieve.

Getting to his feet, Jae-hyun murmured with a smile on his lips.

“Defeat the Nightshade within two months… it won’t be easy, but isn’t it good to have a goal?”

He calmly analyzed his current situation and determined his weaknesses.

“The whole foundation of my fighting style is problematic. I’m not yet comfortable with combat as a mage, and I haven’t even mastered basic spells.

To move forward from here, getting the basics right is as important as ever.”

Nodding slightly to himself, he took out his smartphone and turned it on.

Just as he was about to send a message, a text arrived from the other party first.

[Hello, this is Park Seong-jae.]

[By any chance, is tomorrow a good time to meet? Our representative Mr. Yoo Seong-eun would like to meet you in person.]

[We would also like to hear your response to the contract offer we proposed.]

“How timely,” Jae-hyun whispered, a greedy smile spreading across his lips.

He quickly composed and sent a reply.

[Then I will see you tomorrow.]

[I am positively considering the contract offer. However, if you could also consider one more request from me.]