My Role
Encountered the Human Traitor Omega.
40P obtained.
It's a memory.
Achievements just for meeting someone—it's been a while since the last one.
Meeting Juyeon definitely netted me 50P.
The rewards aren't strictly based on raw power, but Omega only managed a draw after gearing up specifically to take her on, so 40 points feels about right.
Plus, the title's Human Traitor for some reason.
It's the same whether you meet Omega or Hex.
Even Rohan doesn't know why it's "Human Traitor" instead of something about the Reverse Praise Society.
The community was full of nothing but guesses.
Abyss City never reached the point in the story where it all gets fully explained.
Hah.
This wasn't the time to be reminiscing about that stuff.
Death itself had arrived before Rohan's eyes, not even granting him the mercy of a final struggle.
This is total bullshit.
Rohan was certain. Utterly, ridiculously unfair bullshit.
Was there any misfortune this goddamn bad in the world?
In this massive uninhabited island, what were the odds it'd be right here that Omega would pop up? What kind of lottery-winning probability was this for running into the enemy like this?
"Academy cadets, eh? Hahaha!!! You've come to the right place."
The pressure radiating naturally from Omega as he burst from the worm.
Even without any intent behind it, Rohan nearly dropped his sword.
Right... yeah. So that's how he busted in like this.
The total opposite of Juyeon.
No hiding it—a savage stench of bloodlust pouring out unchecked. A guy steeped in pitch-black malice.
His soul had to be coal-black.
Calm down.
Rohan's lifeline of hope was the promise Omega had made with Hex.
"That guy's gonna love this. Should I send him a little taste-test sample?"
—Kuweeik!
The worm gaped its maw wide at Rohan, jaws splitting impossibly!
Positioned to swallow him whole, just like it'd carried Omega inside.
As expected.
Just as he'd figured—they were after capturing academy cadets.
Proof that the deal between Hex and Omega existed.
A pinhole of relief pierced the suffocating tension. Rohan focused on that loosening sensation, lowering his stance.
I won't die. I won't die. I won't die. I won't die. Just stall for time, and it'll work out somehow.
A psycho who got off on pleasure-kills wouldn't kill him.
That was enough.
Calmness returned to Rohan, his breathing easing.
"Hoo!"
Omega smirked as if Rohan daring to fight him was laughable.
His burn-scarred, wrinkled face twisted in amusement.
"You've got some guts, kid. Show me a trick or two."
—Kuireuk! Kuweeeik!!!
The worm slammed its massive body to the ground and opened its hideous jaws to swallow Rohan whole.
Rohan glared wide-eyed, gripping his sword tight.
Will my sword even fit in there?
This worm was different from the textbook variety—wrong color, wrong size.
Probably one of Hex's factor-modified monsters.
Scorching Blade.
Rohan's sword glowed red-hot with heat.
As he readied Heavenly Sun Holy Judgment Sword, sparks of flame seeped from his body.
"Fire?"
Flames flickering from Rohan made Omega's face twist.
Of course. He still hadn't fully overcome the terror of that day when his whole body burned in flames.
It hit home again: to conquer this trauma nailed deep in his psyche, he'd have to crush Juyeon—the one who'd gifted him that scorching agony.
"Damn, that heat's making me rethink things."
—Kuirr...
Tongue clicking, Omega held the worm back.
The mood was ruined.
Running into some fire-handling punk right off the bat?
Not fun.
Irritation bubbled up. He wanted to break their spirit, make them beg for mercy.
Maybe play around a bit before the main event.
The deal with Hex just required delivering cadets with all four limbs intact.
Plenty of fun to be had within those lines.
Kududuk—!!!
Bluish octopus tentacles sprouted from Omega's back.
His body was already a chimeric monster mash-up. The thick tentacles writhed, aiming for Rohan.
"Rookie."
"..."
"Quiet type, huh? No shock, no questions... nothing."
Omega couldn't shake the feeling that Rohan was one weird bastard.
Wanted to crack open his skull and peek inside. No clue what was going on in there.
"Fine. Play with my friends, then."
At "friends," Rohan whipped around, eyes bulging at the faint presences drawing near.
"Stay back!!! Get the hell out of here!!!"
Omega grinned at Rohan yelling himself hoarse.
"Finally, a reaction worth toying with."
Omega's tentacles stretched toward the brush.
Rohan couldn't even track the motion.
"Kyaaak!"
Corin was snatched up in an instant by a tentacle.
Judgment made in the same breath.
Noah and Ichinose burst from the woods. Rohan charged Omega.
Rohan's double-thrust, Ichinose's quick-draw slash, Noah's kick.
Omega took them all without moving.
"Not bad for academy cadets. Better than your average grunt."
Rohan's Scorching Blade-clad sword plunged fearlessly at his throat, but the blade didn't sink in a fingernail's width.
Ichinose's strike targeting Corin's tentacle? Same result.
Noah's kick nailed the temple dead-on, yet Omega's head didn't twitch.
Perfect hits. Zero damage.
A wall of unfathomable height.
The gap was crystal clear.
"Who the hell is this guy?!"
"This... is dangerous."
Ichinose and Noah leaped back, faces grim with questions.
They'd grasped the severity in a glance.
"..."
Rohan wasn't thrilled about the reinforcements who'd sniffed him out.
They wouldn't abandon Corin and run, and Omega sure as hell wouldn't let them go.
This is bad. Worst-case scenario.
Omega was supposed to flare his mana at an empty clearing to bait Juyeon.
Running into Rohan skipped that step.
If Omega prioritized snatching cadets for his own amusement over the Hex deal, Juyeon might notice a beat too late.
The island was total chaos right now anyway.
"Little brats. Where'd that spirit go? Come on, rush me again."
"Augh...!"
The tentacle squeezed Corin with precise control.
It could pop her like a grape, but Omega smirked, stoking their impatience.
"..."""
The three fell silent, shifting to positions.
Omega crossed his arms, eyeing the girls closely.
Any irritation at Rohan vanished. Jackpot.
"Ahh, yeah. These must be the key ingredients."
Obvious at a glance.
Ichinose Jun's daughter and the Snow Tiger Emperor's bloodline—prime catches for Hex's big plans.
Kududuk!
A red snake rose from Omega's shoulder, head reared.
The moment they lunged in unison, sensing the threat—
—Kaaaaak!!!
The snake head unleashed a venomous screech.
Fear gripped the cadets' hearts like a vise.
Forced dread crushed their minds. A brain-squeezing tremor.
"Ah, ahh... ah..."
Corin foamed at the mouth in the tentacle's grip and passed out.
Pitiful as her shaking was, Ichinose and Noah were paralyzed, limbs numb.
Collapsing was inevitable; dropping weapons, natural.
"Urk...!"
"Ngh!"
Ichinose and Noah fought nausea amid the churning haze.
Still, credit where due—they held onto consciousness.
Thanks to constantly facing titanic powerhouses up close.
"Hahaha!!!"
Omega burst out laughing at the two girls who hadn't blacked out.
Even dialed back, they exceeded expectations. Impressive bloodlines.
But above all—
One thing wildly exceeded predictions.
Omega's gaze fell on the male cadet not on Hex's priority list.
Mental defense skill?
Not packing massive mana, yet holding his mind most perfectly.
The guy's body was just frozen. Consciousness sharp as ever.
Or... sheer willpower tough enough to endure?
Either way, it piqued Omega's interest.
Just what Rohan wanted.
"Ugh!"
No time to lie here like this.
To shake off the relentless trembling, Rohan opted for extreme measures.
A hard rock jutting from the ground.
Thud! Thud! He slammed his head into it.
Fighting absurd terror by breaking his own skull.
"..."""
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Omega and the two cadets watched in stunned disbelief.
Lee Rohan. Get it together. Aren't you ashamed?
Survived so many brushes with death in his past life, and now cowed because the enemy wanted captives, not corpses?
Did that even make sense? This humiliation wouldn't stand.
"Haa."
Blood dripped from his forehead.
Pain slowly restored limb control.
Good. I can move.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Heartbeat thundered through his body.
Don't shake. Get up. Don't shake. Get up. Don't shake. Get up.
Ever since landing in this spot as a cadet, he'd always thought—
There had to be a reason he was dropped into this world.
He had a clear role.
Now it was obvious.
Crystal clear at this moment.
Protect them.
No need to say who.
They made him smile as much as he made them. Life was too short for anything less than joy.
One last thud!
Rohan smashed his head into the ground.
Lee Rohan. Fulfill your role.
Remember Omega's arrogance in Abyss City?
Then analyze his sadism, that twisted urge to break others.
Ensure no one gets kidnapped here.
What's the play to buy time until Juyeon arrives?
Think calmly. Find a solution.
"..."
After the silence, Rohan lifted his head.
Forcing his rigid neck up, his eyes met Omega's gaze looking down.
Blood from his forehead stained his eyes red.
Blurred vision? All the better. Nothing to dodge anyway.
—Scraaape! Rohan's fingers clawed dirt, snatching his fallen sword.
Grime mixed into his palm.
Rohan rose slowly.
Assumed his usual stance.
"Bring whatever the fuck you got, you bastard."
Rare vulgarity flew from Rohan's mouth.