Kim stepped forward slowly...
His eyes were fixed on the Queen's fallen body before him.
Then, he extended his hand.
A black dagger formed within his palm—a blade of pure darkness, the Dagger of Void's Breath.
Without hesitation...
He plunged it into her body.
But—
The moment the dagger pierced her chest...
He saw.
Not with his eyes, but through the crimson gaze.
He saw her memories. He saw the truth.
He saw how the other six had forced her to join them. He saw the threats. He saw how they told her that her family would be annihilated... and that Elena would be the first to die if she refused.
Silence fell.
Then Kim muttered:
"So..."
"You were forced."
He looked down at her corpse.
"Being two against six..."
"Was foolishness."
He raised his head.
"But seven against one..."
"...Is a true victory."
Elena stood at the palace door, confused, understanding nothing. All she had seen was Kim killing her mother. Her mind froze.
Then she screamed:
"Whhyyyyyyyy?!"
She rushed toward him.
But—
Kim turned slowly. He raised his foot and struck the ground.
**A Crushing Surge.**
Everything beneath his feet cracked, and the air turned into a massive wave that pushed everyone back. Elena fell violently, her forehead hitting the ground, blood trickling from the wound.
She raised her head toward him, tears streaming from her eyes.
"Why did you do this?!"
Kim looked at her with piercing eyes.
Then he said:
"Liar."
Her eyes widened. "What?"
He said calmly:
"I see what is inside you."
"The light that was within you... has turned to darkness."
"You said you loved me. And that you would never hate me."
The darkness gathered around his feet, beginning to pull him downward.
"But now... darkness fills your heart."
"You were a liar, Elena."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"There is no such thing as love."
"Nothing walks the path with you until the end."
"Love... ends in betrayal."
"Hate... ends in light."
"Light... ends in darkness."
"Darkness... ends in light."
"Everything... flips in the end."
He looked at her one last time.
"This... is the truth."
Elena was weeping, collapsing. As for Kim... he was slowly vanishing into the darkness he had created.
But before disappearing completely, he raised his head slightly and said:
"It is not a mistake to become a monster in order to live."
"And not everyone who advises you... loves you."
"Make this hatred a weapon. Do not let it defeat you."
"Light is not the only thing that blinds the eyes. Darkness... is even worse."
Then he vanished, leaving her behind, collapsing in tears.
Kim moved to a place near the Kingdom. He watched it from afar.
Then a System window appeared before him:
> **Progress: 1/8**
>
Kim looked at it in wonder. "One out of eight?"
Then another message appeared:
> **Congratulations on your progress.**
> **Do you want to check your reward?**
>
Kim said, "Yes."
A new window appeared:
> **You have obtained an A-Rank item:**
> **Pendant of the Wretched Flower**
> *Ability to control plants, especially small flowers.*
> *Can absorb life from plants in exchange for healing your injuries.*
>
Kim scoffed. "A weak skill."
Then the message changed:
> **Do you want to use an Upgrade Voucher on it?**
>
Kim looked at it. "And why would I waste it on something trivial?"
But the message persisted:
> **Do you want to use the Voucher?**
>
His eyes narrowed. "If it isn't good... I will destroy you."
The messages vanished, followed by an intense light.
> **Upgrade Successful**
> **New Skill: Cursed Thorns (+SS)**
> *Create thorns from cursed plants.*
> *Upon piercing the enemy's body: They consume their power and transfer it to the owner at immense speed.*
> **Daily Use: 2 times**
> **Cooldown: 30 minutes**
>
Kim looked at it. "A drain skill... Good. But it's not my type."
Suddenly—
A circle appeared beneath his feet. He jumped back quickly, but the circle followed him. He moved right, and it appeared again. He moved up, and it continued to haunt him.
His eyes narrowed. "What is this?"
Then—an explosion of yellow light mixed with white.
And he vanished.
Kim appeared in the middle of a strange place. A vast void.
And in the center—seven people. Four men and three women. Everyone looked at him in shock.
As for him... he looked at them in wonder. He stood up slowly.
Then he noticed something strange. There were only seven seats—one for each of them.
One of them stepped forward, seemingly their leader. He looked at Kim and said:
"Who are you? And how did you enter here?"
But Kim interrupted him: "You."
Everyone stared at him. The leader said sharply:
"Are you ignoring my words?"
Kim replied: "No. But I haven't told you who I am. Rather, it is you... who must introduce yourself first."
Then he looked at him coldly.
"And watch your words. Because they will determine... whether I leave you alive... or kill you."
Silence fell. Then the leader burst into laughter.
"Hahaha... Watch my words?"
"Then let me apologize."
He pointed his finger downward.
Suddenly—Kim fell to the ground with crushing force. Immense pressure. Gravity. The ground beneath him cracked.
Kim's eyes narrowed. "Gravity magic?"
The leader said with a smile: "Apologize, and I will let you go. Or I will increase the pressure... until you die."
Everyone was smiling, mocking him. As for Kim... he was simply trying to lift his head.
Then the System window appeared:
> **All seven of these are Transcendental Rank.**
> **Each reached it through their own power or intellect.**
> **Do not provoke them.**
>
But Kim ignored the message. He was smiling.
The leader looked at him. "You're smiling?"
At that moment—Kim had summoned the Manifested Incarnation. It appeared directly behind the leader and raised its sword.
But the leader moved with terrifying speed and dodged the strike. He looked at Kim.
"Are you a mage? Why do you oppose us?"
A girl stepped forward from among them. Her name was Dana. She said:
"No, Alberto. This isn't magic. This is the **Blood Archive** skill."
She approached Kim and looked at him with interest. "How old are you?"
Kim smiled sarcastically. "And why should I tell you?"
Dana smiled. "Because using a skill that spans millions of years... is not something an ordinary person does. You aren't a normal human... are you?"
He looked at her, then said: "So you're an old woman... since you know this."
She looked at him with anger. "Do you want me to kill you?"
Kim laughed loudly. "Hahaha... If my destruction is inevitable... it hasn't been written yet."
Then he looked at them all. "I don't know who you are. And you are the ones who summoned me. So do not pretend to be ignorant."
Alberto finally spoke: "I apologize for what happened. But... none of us summoned you."
Then—silence fell. Everyone looked behind Kim.
Something was forming. Ash... gathering slowly until it turned into a seat.
An eighth seat.
Everyone's eyes widened. "How?!" "There were only seven!" "Impossible!"
As for Alberto, he was the most shocked. He had been the first to arrive in this void, and he knew there were only seven seats.
But now, an eighth had appeared.
He looked at Kim, his voice becoming unsettled:
"Are you... a new Transcendent?"
"Have you reached this rank? But... how?"
"How can a lowly being like you... reach such a status?"