A board filled with requests.
A board that decides fates.
Some take from it and return stronger.
Others…
Never return at all.
Their names fade.
Their stories rot.
Another victim claimed by the board.
"Yeah… that's what some of the locals like to say."
Jayden glanced at Fade."Locals?"
"Demons. Or… whatever you want to call them."
Jayden frowned. "Wait. These things actually take quests? Shouldn't they just… live peacefully down here?"
Fade let out a short laugh.
"Peacefully?"
Then his tone shifted.
"They're not demons."
Jayden blinked. "What?"
Fade scratched his head. "Right… you wouldn't know yet."
He looked at Jayden, then continued:
"This isn't hell."
A brief pause.
"It's a simulation."
Jayden's eyes narrowed.
"A failed one."
The words didn't land immediately.
But something about them felt wrong.
Heavy.
"Iris made it," Fade continued. "She tried creating human-like lifeforms. Something close to real… but it failed."
"Other Supreme Kings shut her down. Criticism, backlash… the whole thing."
Jayden stayed silent.
"I don't know her real reason," Fade added. "No one does. That kind of thing stays buried."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"But if you ask me?"
"She just wanted a world of her own."
Jayden's thoughts spiraled.
Iris.
The same Iris.
The one who smiled.
The one who—
Killed him.
She approached me…
Pretended to be my friend…
Faked her death…
I cried for nothing…
His jaw tightened.
You gave me power…
I fought… I climbed… I challenged the Omega Lord…
For her.
His breathing grew uneven.
And then she came back.
Alive.
Like nothing happened.
Something cracked.
She took everything from me.
Stripped it all away…
Like it meant nothing.
His thoughts began to distort.
Were those memories even real?
Did she create them?
Was any of it real?
The questions spiraled.
Faster.
Louder.
WHY?
FOR WHAT?
FOR WHO?!
His vision flickered.
[ERROR][ERROR][ERROR]
I'LL KILL—
Snap.
Fade's fingers clicked in front of his face.
Jayden flinched.
"…Stay with me."
Silence.
Then Fade continued like nothing happened.
"As I was saying… simulation. Failed one."
Jayden exhaled slowly, forcing himself back.
"…Right."
Fade pointed ahead.
"Now let's grab a quest before someone notices us."
They dropped from the rooftop.
Their landing made barely a sound.
Up close, the board looked worse.
Symbols twisted across its surface.
Unreadable.
Alive in the wrong way.
Jayden squinted.
"One column… five rows… and I can't read a single thing."
"Yeah, yeah… I got it."
Fade reached for his blindfold.
"Wait—what are you doing?" Jayden asked.
"Relax. Won't take long."
Fade removed the blindfold.
[NOTICE]Vision reduced by 90%Cause: Unknown interference
"Damn it—" Jayden snapped, vision blurring instantly.
"Don't fight it."
Fade's voice stayed calm.
"…Let's see…"
"Level 500… level 12…"
He muttered under his breath.
"In normal terms, we're both pawns. Just… different kinds."
Jayden sighed. "I can't even see, and you're giving a lecture?"
"If you're above level 500, you're a major pawn."
"And you?"
A short pause.
"You're a minor pawn."
"…Thanks," Jayden muttered. "Very encouraging."
Fade ignored him.
"Here."
He tapped the board.
"Assassination quest. Two targets."
A grin spread across his face.
"Reward—1000 Greed Coins."
Jayden's head snapped up.
"1000?"
"Enough to survive ten weeks."
Fade let out a low whistle.
"Not bad at all."
"Then take it already," Jayden said.
Fade slipped the blindfold back on.
"Accept the ally request."
[NOTICE]Fade requests alliance{ACCEPT} / {REJECT}
"Accept."
[NOTICE]Alliance formedQuest accepted: Assassination
"Good," Fade said. "Now we just need to pay for the target info."
Jayden stared at him.
"…We have to pay?"
"Of course."
Fade shrugged.
"Otherwise it's like putting out a fire without knowing where it is."
"…That's annoying."
"Yeah. Welcome to hell."
They approached a nearby stone table.
A demon lay sprawled across it—sleeping.
Fade didn't hesitate.
He kicked the table.
"Wake up."
No response.
He kicked it again.
"We're not waiting all day."
"…Just… one more minute…" the demon mumbled.
Jayden sighed. "Just put the coins down."
"And get robbed?" Fade scoffed. "Yeah, great idea."
"Wow. That's rude."
The demon sat up.
Female.
Four legs.
And very much awake.
"I heard that," she said coldly.
"I have four legs. Problem?"
Fade didn't miss a beat.
"None at all."
He placed five coins on the table.
"We're in a hurry."
She stared at the coins.
Then at him.
"Six."
"One extra for insulting me."
Fade flicked another coin onto the table.
"Done."
"I hate customers like you," she muttered.
Moments later, the information was handed over.
East.
Outside the city.
They moved.
The city faded behind them.
The air grew heavier again.
Ash thickened under their feet.
"Targets should be here soon," Fade said quietly.
"Stay low."
They dropped into the sand.
Flat.
Still.
Minutes passed.
Then—
Two figures appeared.
Jayden's breath caught.
Their presence alone crushed the air.
[WARNING]Target level exceeds safe engagement threshold
"Level… 800?" Jayden whispered.
Fade's voice was barely audible.
"They're not using magic."
"Doesn't matter."
"…We can't win."
Jayden clenched his jaw.
"…So what do we do?"
"We don't move."
"Not a sound."
A pause.
"I'm cancelling the quest."
[NOTICE]Quest cancelled
"…Damn."
The demons passed by.
Talking.
Laughing.
"Everything went perfectly," one said.
"Boss predicted it down to the detail."
"Yeah," the other laughed. "We took the Saint Dagger like it was nothing."
Jayden's eyes narrowed.
"Worth around… what… two million Greed Coins?"
"Something like that."
They both laughed.
"Where'd you hide it?"
A pause.
Then—
"Our museum."
"Safest place in hell."
Their voices faded.
Silence returned.
Jayden slowly exhaled.
"…You heard that?"
"Yeah."
Fade didn't look at him.
"And the people they stole it from?"
"They'll come looking."
"For now, we leave."
They returned to camp.
The fire crackled softly.
Ash drifted through the air.
Jayden sat still.
Thinking.
"Two million Greed Coins…"
Fade didn't respond.
Jayden's fingers tightened.
"That dagger…"
A pause.
"I'm taking it."
Fade exhaled.
"…That's not a plan."
"That's suicide."
Jayden looked up.
A faint smile formed.
Cold.
Steady.
"Then I'll survive it."
To be continued…