Chapter 99: Sudden Phenomenon
Leo’s eyes snapped open.
"Haa... Haa..."
His chest heaved, pulling ragged breaths through his lips. Cold sweat drenched his body and soaked the bedsheet beneath him. His heart hammered against his ribs, fighting to burst free. His gaze remained unfocused.
For a brief moment... he was no longer inside the truck. He was back in that endless grassland.
Blood. So much blood. A smiling girl, with a blade piercing through her chest.
"...Big Brother."
The whisper echoed inside his mind. Driven by a deep urge, Leo reached forward.
"Lia!"
The name escaped his lips before he even realized it.
Then— something inside his mind stirred. A cool sensation spread through his thoughts, washing over his blazing emotions like calm water. The fierce feelings that had almost consumed him melted away. His breathing slowed. His heartbeat steadied.
Within seconds, he found total calm. Only the sweat on his forehead and his trembling fingers gave away what had just happened.
Leo sat on the edge of the bed, saying nothing. The emotional weight of the nightmare had vanished thanks to his Epic Mental Skill, but the final scene refused to leave his thoughts. Lia’s smile. The sword. The blood. It replayed again... and again... and again.
Leo let out a long sigh.
"...It’s been a while since I had that dream."
He rubbed his forehead before forcing himself to stand. His gaze shifted toward the tactical armor he still wore. The battle against the alien the day before had left a deep tear across the chest plate. Piece by piece, Leo took off the armor. Once it was off, he looked down at his own chest.
"...Hmm?"
His brows rose a fraction. The wound on his chest was gone. Not even a scar remained. He pressed the area with his fingers. No pain. No discomfort. Nothing.
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Regeneration..."
The Epic Skill had beaten his expectations yet again. A wound deep enough to end his life had healed overnight. He could not help but mutter, "This skill is ridiculous..."
He looked back at the broken armor on the bed. A long tear stretched across the chest plate. Leo picked it up and inspected the damage.
"...Still usable."
He nodded to himself.
"Until I find a better replacement..."
"...this will have to do."
After setting the metal aside, Leo stretched his arms overhead. His joints released a series of satisfying pops. Crack. Crack. Crack. He rotated his shoulders and loosened his neck. The day before had been far too close. He had survived... mostly because of luck.
Just as he finished stretching, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
Leo froze. A smile formed on his face. The system... it had finished upgrading at last.
The mechanical voice continued.
[Congratulations, Host.]
[System Upgrade Complete.]
[Current System Level—]
Then— everything stopped. The mechanical voice cut off mid-sentence. Silence. Absolute silence.
Leo’s smile faded.
"...?"
He blinked. His pupils shrank. He could not move. Nothing held him down, but everything... had stopped.
The water dripping from the purifier hung in midair. Dust particles hung still. The curtain beside the truck window stopped fluttering. Even the sunlight streaming through the window froze. Time itself had stopped.
A strange sensation washed over the world. Color drained away in a heartbeat. The warm sunlight, the truck, the furniture—everything faded into black and white. Only Leo kept his color.
"...What..."
Before he could finish speaking, tiny particles of golden light emerged from his chest. One after another, thousands of glowing specks drifted into the air. They gathered before him, condensing, compressing, and changing shape.
Leo watched in silence.
Soon, a brilliant golden card floated in front of him. It gave off a bright light unlike anything he had ever seen, though its surface held no writing or images.
Then, the center of the card twisted. A tiny black point formed and expanded in a flash. The surrounding space distorted as the black point became a swirling vortex—a miniature black hole.
The moment it took shape, a massive suction force erupted from inside it. The curtains remained frozen. The furniture stayed in place. Nothing inside the truck reacted. Except... Leo.
His physical body remained exactly where it was, but something clear began peeling away from his flesh. Leo’s eyes widened.
"...My..."
His soul. A transparent version of himself was being pulled free from his physical shell. It did not hurt. Instead, it felt strangely weightless, as if his very thoughts were being lifted away.
By pure reflex, Leo reached out toward his own body. His fingers passed straight through the solid flesh.
"...Impossible..."
The suction grew stronger. He tried to fight back, but it was useless. His soul drifted closer... and closer... toward the swirling darkness.
Right before entering the black hole, Leo glanced back one final time. His physical body still stood like a statue inside the truck, frozen forever within the still world.
Then— everything faded to darkness.
...
No. Not darkness.
Leo opened his eyes. He was standing. Beneath his feet was nothing. Above him... nothing. There was no sky, no ground, no stars. Only an endless stretch of pitch black going in every direction. He felt as though he had stepped outside reality itself.
"...Where am I?"
His own voice echoed before fading into the empty space. No answer came. Leo turned around. Nothing. Silence.
Then, he sensed it. Someone. Standing several meters ahead.
Leo’s entire body tensed. His hand snapped toward his waist. Nothing. His weapons were gone. Only then did he focus entirely on the strange figure.
A tall man stood with his back facing him. His long black hair flowed almost to his waist, and he wore a hooded robe. Leo’s eyes narrowed. It looked almost identical to the Cloak of Shroud he owned. Yet... it was far more refined.
The fabric looked as if it were woven from living shadows. Elegant silver threads traced mysterious patterns along the sleeves and edges of the cloak. Black runes glimmered under the silver threads before hiding from view. It was beautiful. Majestic. Ancient.
In the man’s right hand rested a pitch-black blade. Its surface drank in every trace of light. Strapped across his back was a long sword.
A black raven sat perched upon his shoulder. The bird made no movement. Its crimson eyes watched Leo in pure silence.
Then, the man turned around.
Leo finally saw his face. He appeared to be in his late twenties. His features were impossibly refined, carrying the quiet elegance of an ancient noble.
Yet, what truly captured Leo’s attention were the man’s eyes. Pitch black. Not dark brown, nor just a dark shade. They were endless. Like staring straight into an infinite hole.
For a brief instant, Leo felt as though every secret he kept, every memory, every thought, and every emotion had been laid bare. Nothing could hide from those eyes.
The mysterious man watched Leo for several moments. Then, a faint smile formed on his lips. Finally, he spoke.
"So..."
His calm voice echoed throughout the empty space.
"...this is how it began."