The Shattered Illusion
The expedition had begun.
The Lava Zone lived up to its brutal reputation, just as the stories had warned.
Thank goodness they'd prepared thoroughly in advance. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made it even a single step forward.
The scouting team spotted a group of monsters.
Wyverns—common draconic beasts in the Lava Zone.
Among them was one notably stronger than the rest.
Its deep crimson hue stood out sharply against the others.
They dubbed it the Red Wyvern.
There were quite a few of them, but their ranks weren't high, so the group exterminated them without issue.
Leysa, participating as an observer alongside Charlotte, shone particularly bright in the fray.
"……."
He stared blankly at the Red Wyvern's limp form sprawled on the ground.
A strange sense of dissonance washed over him.
"Jun-young-ssi, cleanup's done."
"…Yeah. Let's move out again."
Pushing aside the inexplicable unease, they pressed deeper into the labyrinth once more.
After cutting through countless blocking monsters, they finally faced the Lava Zone's zone lord.
The colossal SS-rank Magma Wyvern, like a living volcano.
The moment they encountered it, as per the scouts' report, battle erupted.
True to its status as an SS-rank zone lord, the Magma Wyvern was immensely powerful.
But it couldn't withstand their expedition team—not with him, Charlotte, and Leysa, three SS-rank hunters in their midst.
He gazed at the Magma Wyvern as Leysa's arrow pierced its wings, sending it crashing to the earth.
Boom—
A massive tremor shook the ground, kicking up thick clouds of dust.
Beyond the swirling haze, a pair of eyes fixed on them.
Crimson orbs, like boiling lava.
He quietly raised his sword.
[Nyx. Little snake.]
The sudden voice echoing in his mind made him freeze.
For a split second, those crimson eyes seemed to gleam with paternal warmth.
"What are you spacing out for? You'll get us all killed!"
Whoosh—
A wave of red roses surged, engulfing the Magma Wyvern in an instant.
As his dazed companions gathered around him—Charlotte first—he snapped back.
"Why'd you stop like that? Something wrong?"
"Oppa, you okay?"
"Jun-young hyung! Everything alright?!"
"Hyung-nim! You good?!"
"Raid leader! Sir?!"
He turned amid the chorus of concerned voices from his assembling teammates.
The warm crimson gaze that had watched him was long gone.
"You okay, Jun-young-ssi?"
He shook his head at Lee Ha-na's worried question, as always.
From beyond the undulating wave of red roses came the Magma Wyvern's agonized cries.
That strange dissonance lingered.
"Quit dawdling and lead already! Your team's just standing around!"
Charlotte's shrill yell snapped him to attention.
Shoving aside the inexplicable unease once more, he continued the fight.
And finally, his sword cleaved the Magma Wyvern's neck.
Having successfully exterminated the zone lord Magma Wyvern, they returned safely to the outside world.
The outside buzzed with news of them, as ever.
The broadcasts ran nonstop coverage, and everyone admired and revered them.
Bathed in the world's attention, they prepared for the next expedition.
Their next target: the Snow Mountain Zone beyond the Lava Zone, where Seong Jae-myeong had vanished.
A place so unforgiving even he hadn't returned from—they prepared more meticulously than ever.
The unease from the Lava Zone expedition had faded entirely.
During preparations, Kwon Je-na ascended to SS-rank.
She'd grasped some breakthrough and sparred with him daily like real combat until she finally evolved.
The burden of the Snow Mountain expedition lightened further.
With all preparations complete, they set off for the Snow Mountain Zone at last.
Including observers Charlotte and Leysa, they had five SS-ranks.
Over a dozen top SA-rank Korean hunters like Lee Ha-na, Song Jae-ha, Yoon Myung-ho.
Dozens more S-ranks besides.
No expedition in history had boasted such overwhelming force.
Every participating hunter—and the whole world—brimmed with great expectations.
Anticipation of some monumental achievement.
Thanks to their prior sweep, crossing the Lava Zone posed no real problems.
Occasional layer-lord-class monsters ambushed, but humanity's strongest force brushed them aside.
Thus, they arrived at the Snow Mountain Zone with ease.
A vast white expanse of snowfields.
The first sight was breathtakingly beautiful.
And just as brutally harsh.
Thanks to thorough prep, no disasters struck upon entry like with Seong Jae-myeong.
They explored intact, no losses.
While scouting around the tallest snow peak, they spotted lizardmen.
Typically Forest Zone dwellers, but these differed sharply—pure white scales, ranks several tiers above normal.
Battle ensued immediately.
With five SS-rank hunters including himself charging in, they exterminated without casualties.
Red blood splattered across the pristine snow, lizardmen strewn about.
He stared at the scene, then pressed on.
Toppling monsters, ascending layers, exploring onward.
Crowned penguins. Twin-headed white ogres. Giant yetis. Glittering crystal scorpions.
Layer lords, none easy, but they felled them all and advanced.
And at last, they confronted it.
The former strongest: the lost, wandering undead, Seong Jae-myeong.
The entire team, himself included, reeled in shock—but monster-Seong Jae-myeong showed no mercy.
Wielding his array of overpowered gear, he assaulted them fiercely.
A grueling battle began.
Centered on Charlotte, who knew him well from the past, they endured.
Prioritizing minimal sacrifices over quick kill, they won without a single death.
In the final moments, as Seong Jae-myeong regained his senses, they shared brief words.
With thanks, he closed his eyes peacefully.
The abrupt encounter—even with him as a monster—rattled the team slightly, but no major issues.
Stockpiled elixirs and Kwon Je-na's brilliant healing kept casualties at zero.
After a short rest to shake off battle fatigue, they hurried onward.
He encountered the pure white nine-tailed fox.
Spotted amid the raging blizzard, it didn't charge—instead, it stared silently at them. At him.
Clear blue eyes pierced like daggers.
That intense gaze stole his own before he knew it.
A dissonance stronger than any before engulfed him.
"Snap out of it! It's a monster!"
"SS-rank at least—probably a layer lord!"
"Everyone, battle ready!"
Ignoring the team's uproar upon spotting the fox, he and it locked eyes briefly.
His heart pounded fiercely in his ears.
His mind blanked.
"Jun-young-ssi! Get a grip!"
"…Ah. Ha-na-ssi?"
Lee Ha-na's grip on his shoulder jolted him back.
His teammates readied for battle against the fox.
"You okay? No mental skills on you?"
"Nothing like that. I'm fine."
"Then why were you zoning out?"
He glanced away at her narrowed eyes.
There sat the fox, unperturbed by the hostile hunters, staring fixedly.
His gaze locked again, entranced.
"Jun-young-ssi!"
"…Yes, Ha-na-ssi."
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, really. Just…."
The words wouldn't come.
Those clear blue eyes staring still made his chest tighten unbearably.
"…Good, then. Everyone's waiting. Give the order, raid leader."
At Lee Ha-na's quiet urging, he nodded reluctantly.
The moment he did, the fully prepped hunters—his comrades—charged the fox en masse.
Beyond their brave backs, those serene blue eyes still watched.
He squeezed his eyes shut instinctively, then leaped toward the fox alongside the prodding Lee Ha-na.
Battle commenced.
In the end, he struck down the nine-tailed fox with his own hand.
Its pristine white fur and eyes stained scarlet with spilled blood.
For reasons unknown, his hand trembled.
The faint quiver spread from his fingertips throughout his body.
His heart thundered; a headache crept in.
Eyes clenched, he clutched his forehead.
Lee Ha-na asked worriedly if he was alright.
Other comrades fretted too.
Normally, he'd smile and reassure them—but now, he couldn't muster it.
Nausea roiled in his gut.
"Kyaaang—! Kyaaoong—!!!"
A cry pierced his ears; he opened his eyes.
A tiny fox kit dangled by the scruff in a hunter's hand.
"Aw, so cute."
"What's that?"
"Fox pup? Three tails."
"Monster spawn."
"Kyaang! Kyuup!"
The kit thrashed and wailed to reach its fallen mother.
"What now?"
"What else? Kill it. Look at those eyes—pure murder."
The hunter holding the wriggling kit glanced over.
"Raid leader. What do we do?"
"It's cute—spare it."
"Nah, it knows we killed its mom. Trouble later. Better end it clean."
"Yeah. Can't tame a monster already hostile to humans."
"Eliminate future threats."
The hunters' noisy debate barely registered.
His nerves fixated on the kit.
Its eyes—swirling emotions—choked him.
The pitiful 'Myaang! Meee-yaang—' tore at his heart.
Why am I like this?
Did the fox really enchant me?
His gaze shifted to the cooling white corpse on the snow.
His head spun.
"So, raid leader? Kill or not?"
"Kill it."
"Yeah, kill."
Despite his muddled mind, their insistent voices triggered his response.
As leader, with comrades saying that, his path was set.
Exhausted, the limp fox's eyes turned weakly his way.
Blue like the mother's, staring fixedly.
"Jun-young-ssi, kill it quick."
"Do it fast!"
"Kill!"
Their echoing shouts rang; he quietly raised his sword.
"Meee-yaa…."
Eyes squeezed shut against those forlorn blues.
He swung with full force.
[Snap out of it, you idiot!]
The booming voice in his head rang with a clear ding of a bell.
His full swing halted abruptly.
"…What?"
He muttered blankly; the bell chimed again.
Ding—
The crystalline tone cleared his foggy mind instantly.
Everything came rushing back.
"Jun-young-ssi, why aren't you—"
"Shut up."
His low growl snatched the fox from the hunter's grip.
Wide blue eyes blinked dazedly at him.
"…Sorry, Daddy's here, Seol-i."
His gentle stroke drew a soft 'Myeong….' from the fox—Seol-i.
He cradled her carefully.
"R-Raid leader?! What the hell?!"
"Jun-young-ssi! What are you…?!"
"…A damn fine illusion. Nearly got me."
"What're you talking about? Illusion?!"
He stared at Lee Ha-na's grave face.
If she hadn't abandoned him back then, maybe this future could've been real.
Conquering the labyrinths as hunters together.
"Eh, pointless now."
He was no longer Yu Jun-young—but monster Nyx.
Muttering flatly, he reverted to his true form.
Impossible before awareness; effortless now.
Ignoring the shocked cries from Lee Ha-na and the hunters, he flicked his tongue.
Shhh—
Time to face the culprit behind this horrific illusion.
They'd pay dearly for the unsolicited "gift."
Ding—
The bell chimed clear once more; the world shattered.
Eyes closed and opened to thick darkness—and beyond it, a massive eye amid petals watching silently.
[…So it's you. The one who showed me those horrors.]
No reply to his quiet thought.
Incapable of telepathy? Or just indifferent?
Didn't matter.
He'd already decided to tear it apart.
Daring to make him kill Snow, everyone—with his own hands?
The illusion felt so real; the sickening tactile memory lingered.
His surging rage boiled over.
He unleashed his breath, maxed to the limit, straight at it.
Multi-attribute breath scattered the darkness, engulfing the flower.
Not even ash remained; the massive bloom vanished cleanly.
Only the now-still plant stem attested to its existence.
He fusion-magic'd it away too.
[Worthless trash daring to…]
Cleanly dispatched, but his fury raged on.
That illusion—he'd butchered everyone like a moron.
Had he struck Seol-i too, he'd have wallowed in self-loathing for days, even escaping unscathed.
Guilt over Snow already crushed him.
Thank heavens for the Panya Bell.
'But I swear I heard a voice midway….'
He replayed his memory.
The clear bell and familiar voice booming in his head.
Its owner was surely….
'From the left….'
How had the voice of that soul-obliterated foe reached him?
Were they—it included—somehow still alive in his psyche?
As rising hope quelled his anger, sudden light gathered in the dim interior.
Beyond the darkness, tiny light specks coalesced into form.
'Another foe?'
Shhh—
After the prior ambush and the space's weirdness, tension gripped him.
No telling the next bizarre attack; best brace fully.
Preemptively strike if needed.
Watching warily, the light particles formed a humanoid shape.
Like a faceless mannequin, it stared silently.
And then.
【You've finally made it here, Irregular.】