Dancing on the golden ashes

"Give me one reason I should leave you alive," I said coldly, my gaze piercing through him. "Perhaps I might even consider it."

I could see him trembling. His body was just as battered and exhausted as mine. He didn't have much power left—those flashy moves of his must have drained an insane amount of mana. Yet, his staff, now fully intact, began to glow faintly with dark light, as if it were preparing to fire again.

"I still have many questions before I kill you," I continued, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. "For example, are the other bastards here as well?"

The thought sent my pulse racing. If, by any chance, more of the people responsible for my humiliation were in this place, I'd hunt them all down. Every last one of them.

"Hehe... it's pointless for you to know," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "You're about to die. What could you possibly do with that informatio—!?"

His words were cut off by a violent cough, blood splattering from his lips. His body trembled, the damage from the Great Flood far worse than it appeared. Even someone like me would have been killed instantly by its force. For a brief moment, the dark light of his staff dimmed, flickering as if struggling to maintain its power—only to regain its sinister glow a heartbeat later.

"I will kill them all," I growled, my voice a low, dangerous promise. "If you know something... I'll beat it out of you until you tell me!"

He grinned wickedly, his expression twisted with malice. "Goodnight, my love," he said coldly, mockery dripping from his tone. "May you rest in agony..."

The black energy erupted from his staff, streaking toward me with deadly intent. But it didn't matter—this was my moment to end it all.

The black beam struck my head in an instant. A sharp, searing pain shot through me, and for a moment, everything vanished. My vision, my thoughts, my very existence faded into nothingness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But in the next second, I was back.

Not only had my boost in power activated, but my body regenerated instantly, restoring me to peak condition. For the next twenty-five seconds, I was immortal.

"Ha... hahahaha..." Laughter spilled from my lips, raw and unrestrained. It felt so good to see his face—the stupid expression of despair and utter confusion etched into it.

"What the hell is your class...?" His trembling voice carried genuine fear, mixed with a trace of awe.

"I'm a Death Eater, and I'll make your last few moments a living hell!"

My scythe materialized in my hand, its dark flames flickering ominously. In an instant, I closed the distance between us, my blade resting coldly against his neck.

"Speak. Are there others? Where are they?" I demanded, my voice cold and unyielding. I had no intention of sparing him, but I needed answers—needed information.

"Y-You'll regret this... If you kill me, you'll never know!" he stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

I didn't care. If he refused to cooperate, I'd just have to force the truth out of him.

"Well then..."

The sky darkened as massive, illusory teeth appeared above us, their sharp edges glinting with malice. They descended on him with terrifying speed, biting down. I held back just enough, tearing only a small fragment of his memory and soul.

"AARRRGGHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A blood-curdling scream tore through the air, raw and guttural, as if it came from the very depths of his soul.

"So... Jeong Suhan is also here," I said coldly.

Kim Ha-Joon's eyes widened in shock, his trembling body betraying the depth of his fear. He understood the inevitable; he was smart enough to know his time was running out.

"No... no... don't kill me! I'll lead you to him—please!" His voice cracked as panic overtook him. "I-I don't know where he is right now, but... but if you let me live, I can help you find him! I promise I'll serve you well, okay? I'm sorry, Lee Gaon! I'll be a good dog, I swear! Just spare me—I beg you!"

"Sure, I'll spare you," I said softly, a warm smile spreading across my face. "After all, you said you'd be a good dog."

His eyes flickered with a fleeting glimmer of hope—but only for a moment.

Suddenly, his body ignited in golden flames. I controlled the fire, letting it burn him as slowly as possible. Every scream that tore from his throat was a symphony to my ears, each one a reminder of the pain he had caused me.

Hours passed. His body was reduced to nothing but ashes, scattered and lifeless.

I've finally done it. My hands trembled slightly, a mix of excitement and an unfamiliar, indescribable feeling coursing through me.

Kim Ha-Joon... you took everything from me—my life, my pride, my family, and, most importantly, Soo-Ah. Let your death stand as a testament to her lost life, a revenge not just from me, but from her as well. Soo-Ah's death will likely haunt me for the rest of my life, a wound that will never truly heal.

May she finally rest in peace, while your vile heart stays bound to me, forever cursed. I hope you never find peace. I hope you suffer endlessly, trapped in agony until the day everything crumbles to ashes and the universe itself breathes its last.

Yet, even as I stood over the remnants of my revenge, the satisfaction was fleeting. The rush of triumph faded quickly, leaving only emptiness in its wake. It felt good, but only for a moment, replaced almost instantly by a new, unrelenting desire—to find the next one.

My thoughts turned to someone I had once admired, someone who had been my idol during his reign in the gaming industry. The person I had once looked up to... and now despised with every fiber of my being.

"Jeong Suhan..." I muttered, my voice low and cold. "You were my idol once, but now, you're just my enemy." Experience more tales on empire

I looked into the distance, my gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the night sky. The stars seemed indifferent, silent witnesses to my vow.

"And you're my next target," I continued, my voice unwavering. "No matter where you are, I will find you. And I will make sure you learn one thing—there are some people you should never mess with."

[CONGRATULATIONS!]

[You have reached Level 21]

[You have reached Level 22]

[You have reached Level 23]

[You have reached Level 24]

[Your overall abilities have been drastically increased.]

[Laughing at Death has reached its peak level and will no longer grow. A new skill has been rewarded as compensation.]

[Life and Death - The user gains a deeper understanding of life and death with each use of this skill. The greater the understanding, the more powerful the skill becomes. The user may cast a curse on a target, which can either instantly or gradually kill the enemy depending on the skill's strength.(skill does not consume mana)]

[You have gained a new skill]

[Level 2 Mana Burn – The user can increase their overall power level by 5% by burning mana (4000 mana/s).]

Power coursed through my body. Every level-up brought a renewed sense of life, an invigorating yet hollow feeling. This battle had been both refreshing and empty, leaving me with the unsettling certainty that my life would never be the same.

Still, I felt a strange satisfaction in resolving my problems through my own strength. Many might judge me for taking another's life so easily, in such cold blood. But sometimes, it's the only way.

As I gazed at the stars, a strange sense of expansion filled me, as though my very soul was growing.

We humans are such foolish creatures. We kill, we rob, we love—but we never truly change who we are. Even if Kim Ha-Joon had sworn to serve me, even if I had spared him, one day he would've tried to take my life through schemes and trickery. Keeping someone like him by my side would've been a mistake.

My thoughts drifted to the few people I had come to trust. They were different. Even when they were scared, they came back. Maybe, just maybe, fate was finally giving me a glimmer of hope—that this life might not be as bitter as I once believed.

I raised my hand to the sky, reaching for the stars.

"Soul Harvest."

A black orb rose from Kim Ha-Joon's lifeless body, spiraling upward before rushing into my mouth.

[Quest Updated: Kill 1/2 rulers to become the king.]

I was close now—so close to my goal. From this moment forward, I would no longer hesitate to consume human souls. The taste, the morality of it... none of it mattered anymore. Clinging to old values would only lead to my doom. I needed to grow stronger. I needed to rise to the top, even if it meant letting go of my humanity.

The foul taste lingered, but I forced it from my mind. A new journey was beginning.

Perhaps, when all these endless, empty revenges are complete, I might find a place to settle. A place to finally rest. But why couldn't I be like the happy people who live their lives in peace, free of conflict and pain?

Jealousy burned in my heart, though I knew it was foolish. Yet no matter how much I tried, I couldn't control it. There was something wrong with me, something I couldn't fully understand.

"But no matter what it takes, I vow to myself: one day, I will hold the world in the palm of my hand!"