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The city’s hollow streets pulsed with an eerie stillness, broken only by the faint whisper of Geon’s breaths and the occasional groan of collapsing ruins. His transformation was complete—at least, that’s what the shadow told him. Yet, as the molten fury cooled and his heart steadied, the edges of his consciousness were frayed with unease.
The notification lingered on his phone like an omen. Geon picked it up, the screen flickering faintly.
WARNING
You have entered into a contract with ⛥̷̢̧̧̡̛͖̼̱̗̫̗̘̮̞͕̣̦̰̣̲͚̳̖̫͙̲̪̝̗̻̗̪̫͚̪̮̗͙͍͚̰̺̹̳̞̥̣̬̭͒͆̃́̇̾͛͂̈́͑̂̔̂̈̈́͐̇͊̒̾̋͗̈̊̔͊̋̎̑́͂̈̉̐̄̂̀̾̀̉̔͗́͂̃̓͊̀̾͐̀͘͘͘̕̚͜͠͠͝ ̴̹́̂͂̅̍́͗̌̈́̀͆͗̈́̉̅̀̊́́͑̅̋͛͆͊̋̄͆̋̈̀̚͘͜͝͠͝͝Ş̶̢̢̧̡̧̧̡̨͉͉̱͓͓͓̺̻̣͇͙̰̟̦͎͕̰̥̫̦͉̜͚̦̥͍̦̦̗͇̠̳͍̙̤̻̟͍̙͙͕͔̼͉͕̭͕̣̼̤̪͈̼̞̣̜̥͍̺̠̬̆̈͒͂̊̑̓̏͑̓̏̈́̆̅͗̅̂͗̃̍͊̂̔̂́̂͋̈̎̓͐̚̕͜A̷̧̡̡̧̨̢̛̮̙͓̣͇̤̱̼̫̣͔̪̳̼̳͙̼͉̤̘͙̝̖̙̣͇̲̗͇̬͚͚̙̙̪̺̜͔̣̪͕͚̩̜͚̝̱̠̜̎̊̂̓̈́͋̀̃̒͂̆̐̒̌̔́̍͗̓͒͂͋̂̿̋͊̇̊̂͗̔̀̈͆̂̈́̿́̑̑̉͐̒͆̔̅̎̂̀͗̊̔̊̾̑̓͋͆̎́̈́͊̓͑̉̌̈́̄̔̀͘̚͜͝͝͝͠͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅŢ̴̨̡̫̫̹͔͖̻͙͉͎̱̲̲̠̣̹͚͇̭̩̗̬̱͖͈͍̙̣̤͈̼̺̳̠̞̙͔̤̄͌̃̍̎̈́̐̂͂͊̈́͆́́̍̆͗̌̈͒̈́̄̏̔̈́̈́̀͗̈́̾̉̉̾̇̓̾̔̆͛̐͗̊̏̾̅̐͂̅̾͌̈́̑̓͌͋̓̕̕̕͜͠͠͠͠͝͝ͅÄ̸̢̛̛̛̛̛̘́͐̀̀́̀̀̎̀̐̽̓̊̀͒̊̐̏͋̏͐͋̍̇̾͑͊̀͒̎͊̾̔͆̋̃̃͗̽̊̅̿̌̔̅̍̈́̀̎̀̔̅̊̓̑͑̃̏͆̊̉̇͐̒̃̔̎̈́͊̆̿͘̚̚̚̚̚̚͘͘̕͝͠͠͝͠͝͝͝͝N̵̢̧̢̢̢̨̡̢̛̛̻̲͈̬̘̲̯̖̞̤̦̦̝͍̱͇̬̭̪͎̘̲͉͔̳̬̩̪̩̣͍̠̗͔͔͓̗͚͕̤͚̙̦̞̱̞̣̝̘̙̲̼̖̖̜͎̝͛̂̀͐̈́͊͌̀̾̒̾̆͆͑̾̊̿̊͂̅͗̾͑̈͑̃̊͆̔͐̍̀̐̄̀͊̕͘͘͜͝͝͠͝ͅ ̷̡̢̨̧̡̡̢̧̛̖̱̳̮͇̰̲͉̼̺̣͕̳̼̯͉̭͔̘̬̙̼͖̼̭͙̜̳̪̞͇̙̝̣̼̲͕͖͍̊̽̇͒́̃̉͂̌̔̋̇͒͑̊͐͊͆̒̈́̆͗́̌̏͛̍̂̋͗̔̑̿̓͗͋̊̉̅͆̄͌̇̊̋̎̐̅̈́̑̑́̈̐̒̃̏̆̆̒̀̈̍̄̇̓̒̽̒̾̏͑͌͌̍̅̆̔͒̇͒̚̕͘͘̚̕̕͜͝͠͝͝ͅψ̴̧̡̛̟͚̘̺͓͕͖͉͇͇̥̬̮͙͍̖̖̠͖͎͖̟͎̼͍͈̳̇̃͆́̋̆́̂̿̈́̒̂͋̈́͗̀̈́̊͑͋̕͜͜͝͠ ̵̢̡̨̡̨̢̡̡̛͕̤̯̦̙̗̞̱̭̮̥̤̥͚͎̯͙̮͈̱̞̦͓̜̞̤̜͍͉͉̬̰͔̦̪̙̖̦̖̦͎̭̥͕̞̦͖͙̱͖͍̬̭̹͉̖̩̰̭͍͈̈͒̅̃̌̑̈́̋͆̑̉̀̿́̀̐̚̚̚̕͜͝͝͝ͅ⛥̶̟̩̋͂̈͂͗̿̎̏̈́͆̌̓̈́́͋̈́̑̂̇̾̒̓́̇͂́͛́͛̆̇̈̉́̅͋̈̏́̑̄̇̎̂̿̆́́̔̆̏̉͑̍̓̉̿͂̿̊̆̂͗͊̇̔̅̑̉͗̔͊̊̓͑͗̕̕̕̕͝͝͝͝.
"What the hell does that even mean?" Geon muttered, his voice hoarse from his earlier outburst.
The shadow, now swirling lazily at his feet, seemed amused. “It means exactly what it says. You’ve made a choice, one that binds you to something greater than yourself.”
“I didn’t agree to anything,” Geon snapped.
“Didn’t you, though?” the shadow replied, its tone mocking. “The anger, the hatred, the declaration that you’d kill everyone who wronged you... That was your signature. A contract doesn’t always need ink.”
Geon scowled, gripping his phone tightly. “So what’s the price?”
The shadow’s laughter was a low, guttural echo. “Not every price is public, Geon!”
Before Geon could respond, the air around him grew heavy. A cold, suffocating presence seeped into the ruins, and for a moment, even the shadow seemed to withdraw. The world itself seemed to hold its breath.
From the shadows of a crumbled building, a figure emerged. It was tall and skeletal, draped in tattered robes that billowed despite the absence of wind. Its face was obscured, a void where features should have been. Only its eyes burned—a piercing, unnatural blue that seemed to see through Geon’s very soul.
“You called, and I have come,” the figure intoned, its voice a discordant symphony of whispers. “I am the Arbiter, a servant of ⛥̷̢̧̧̡̛͖̼̱̗̫̗̘̮̞͕̣̦̰̣̲͚̳̖̫͙̲̪̝̗̻̗̪̫͚̪̮̗͙͍͚̰̺̹̳̞̥̣̬̭͒͆̃́̇̾͛͂̈́͑̂̔̂̈̈́͐̇͊̒̾̋͗̈̊̔͊̋̎̑́͂̈̉̐̄̂̀̾̀̉̔͗́͂̃̓͊̀̾͐̀͘͘͘̕̚͜͠͠͝ ̴̹́̂͂̅̍́͗̌̈́̀͆͗̈́̉̅̀̊́́͑̅̋͛͆͊̋̄͆̋̈̀̚͘͜͝͠͝͝Ş̶̢̢̧̡̧̧̡̨͉͉̱͓͓͓̺̻̣͇͙̰̟̦͎͕̰̥̫̦͉̜͚̦̥͍̦̦̗͇̠̳͍̙̤̻̟͍̙͙͕͔̼͉͕̭͕̣̼̤̪͈̼̞̣̜̥͍̺̠̬̆̈͒͂̊̑̓̏͑̓̏̈́̆̅͗̅̂͗̃̍͊̂̔̂́̂͋̈̎̓͐̚̕͜A̷̧̡̡̧̨̢̛̮̙͓̣͇̤̱̼̫̣͔̪̳̼̳͙̼͉̤̘͙̝̖̙̣͇̲̗͇̬͚͚̙̙̪̺̜͔̣̪͕͚̩̜͚̝̱̠̜̎̊̂̓̈́͋̀̃̒͂̆̐̒̌̔́̍͗̓͒͂͋̂̿̋͊̇̊̂͗̔̀̈͆̂̈́̿́̑̑̉͐̒͆̔̅̎̂̀͗̊̔̊̾̑̓͋͆̎́̈́͊̓͑̉̌̈́̄̔̀͘̚͜͝͝͝͠͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅŢ̴̨̡̫̫̹͔͖̻͙͉͎̱̲̲̠̣̹͚͇̭̩̗̬̱͖͈͍̙̣̤͈̼̺̳̠̞̙͔̤̄͌̃̍̎̈́̐̂͂͊̈́͆́́̍̆͗̌̈͒̈́̄̏̔̈́̈́̀͗̈́̾̉̉̾̇̓̾̔̆͛̐͗̊̏̾̅̐͂̅̾͌̈́̑̓͌͋̓̕̕̕͜͠͠͠͠͝͝ͅÄ̸̢̛̛̛̛̛̘́͐̀̀́̀̀̎̀̐̽̓̊̀͒̊̐̏͋̏͐͋̍̇̾͑͊̀͒̎͊̾̔͆̋̃̃͗̽̊̅̿̌̔̅̍̈́̀̎̀̔̅̊̓̑͑̃̏͆̊̉̇͐̒̃̔̎̈́͊̆̿͘̚̚̚̚̚̚͘͘̕͝͠͠͝͠͝͝͝͝N̵̢̧̢̢̢̨̡̢̛̛̻̲͈̬̘̲̯̖̞̤̦̦̝͍̱͇̬̭̪͎̘̲͉͔̳̬̩̪̩̣͍̠̗͔͔͓̗͚͕̤͚̙̦̞̱̞̣̝̘̙̲̼̖̖̜͎̝͛̂̀͐̈́͊͌̀̾̒̾̆͆͑̾̊̿̊͂̅͗̾͑̈͑̃̊͆̔͐̍̀̐̄̀͊̕͘͘͜͝͝͠͝ͅ ̷̡̢̨̧̡̡̢̧̛̖̱̳̮͇̰̲͉̼̺̣͕̳̼̯͉̭͔̘̬̙̼͖̼̭͙̜̳̪̞͇̙̝̣̼̲͕͖͍̊̽̇͒́̃̉͂̌̔̋̇͒͑̊͐͊͆̒̈́̆͗́̌̏͛̍̂̋͗̔̑̿̓͗͋̊̉̅͆̄͌̇̊̋̎̐̅̈́̑̑́̈̐̒̃̏̆̆̒̀̈̍̄̇̓̒̽̒̾̏͑͌͌̍̅̆̔͒̇͒̚̕͘͘̚̕̕͜͝͠͝͝ͅψ̴̧̡̛̟͚̘̺͓͕͖͉͇͇̥̬̮͙͍̖̖̠͖͎͖̟͎̼͍͈̳̇̃͆́̋̆́̂̿̈́̒̂͋̈́͗̀̈́̊͑͋̕͜͜͝͠ ̵̢̡̨̡̨̢̡̡̛͕̤̯̦̙̗̞̱̭̮̥̤̥͚͎̯͙̮͈̱̞̦͓̜̞̤̜͍͉͉̬̰͔̦̪̙̖̦̖̦͎̭̥͕̞̦͖͙̱͖͍̬̭̹͉̖̩̰̭͍͈̈͒̅̃̌̑̈́̋͆̑̉̀̿́̀̐̚̚̚̕͜͝͝͝ͅ⛥̶̟̩̋͂̈͂͗̿̎̏̈́͆̌̓̈́́͋̈́̑̂̇̾̒̓́̇͂́͛́͛̆̇̈̉́̅͋̈̏́̑̄̇̎̂̿̆́́̔̆̏̉͑̍̓̉̿͂̿̊̆̂͗͊̇̔̅̑̉͗̔͊̊̓͑͗̕̕̕̕͝͝͝͝.. And you, Geon, are now bound to its will.”
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Geon stood his ground, though his fists clenched involuntarily. “I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t call for you.”
The Arbiter tilted its head, the movement unnervingly slow. “You misunderstand. It is not your words that summon me, but your intent. Your transformation, your rage—they resonate with the system. You seek power, and so you shall receive it.”
Geon’s gaze hardened. “And what’s the catch?”
The Arbiter’s laughter was a chilling sound. “Every contract has terms. You have chosen a path of destruction, and the system will amplify your potential. In return, you are bound to its purpose: to eliminate the unworthy and ascend to the final judgment.”
“And if I refuse?” Geon asked, though he already knew the answer.
The Arbiter extended a skeletal hand, and the air grew colder still. “There is no refusal. You are marked, Demon. You are its instrument.”
The shadow, silent until now, spoke up, its tone uncharacteristically serious. “Geon, this is your reality now. The system doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. But you can still control how you play its game.”
Geon glared at the Arbiter, defiance flaring in his chest. “If I’m bound to this, then I’ll use it to find my sister. No one else matters.”
The Arbiter nodded, the motion eerily fluid. “So be it. But remember, Demon: ⛥̷̢̧̧̡̛͖̼̱̗̫̗̘̮̞͕̣̦̰̣̲͚̳̖̫͙̲̪̝̗̻̗̪̫͚̪̮̗͙͍͚̰̺̹̳̞̥̣̬̭͒͆̃́̇̾͛͂̈́͑̂̔̂̈̈́͐̇͊̒̾̋͗̈̊̔͊̋̎̑́͂̈̉̐̄̂̀̾̀̉̔͗́͂̃̓͊̀̾͐̀͘͘͘̕̚͜͠͠͝ ̴̹́̂͂̅̍́͗̌̈́̀͆͗̈́̉̅̀̊́́͑̅̋͛͆͊̋̄͆̋̈̀̚͘͜͝͠͝͝Ş̶̢̢̧̡̧̧̡̨͉͉̱͓͓͓̺̻̣͇͙̰̟̦͎͕̰̥̫̦͉̜͚̦̥͍̦̦̗͇̠̳͍̙̤̻̟͍̙͙͕͔̼͉͕̭͕̣̼̤̪͈̼̞̣̜̥͍̺̠̬̆̈͒͂̊̑̓̏͑̓̏̈́̆̅͗̅̂͗̃̍͊̂̔̂́̂͋̈̎̓͐̚̕͜A̷̧̡̡̧̨̢̛̮̙͓̣͇̤̱̼̫̣͔̪̳̼̳͙̼͉̤̘͙̝̖̙̣͇̲̗͇̬͚͚̙̙̪̺̜͔̣̪͕͚̩̜͚̝̱̠̜̎̊̂̓̈́͋̀̃̒͂̆̐̒̌̔́̍͗̓͒͂͋̂̿̋͊̇̊̂͗̔̀̈͆̂̈́̿́̑̑̉͐̒͆̔̅̎̂̀͗̊̔̊̾̑̓͋͆̎́̈́͊̓͑̉̌̈́̄̔̀͘̚͜͝͝͝͠͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅŢ̴̨̡̫̫̹͔͖̻͙͉͎̱̲̲̠̣̹͚͇̭̩̗̬̱͖͈͍̙̣̤͈̼̺̳̠̞̙͔̤̄͌̃̍̎̈́̐̂͂͊̈́͆́́̍̆͗̌̈͒̈́̄̏̔̈́̈́̀͗̈́̾̉̉̾̇̓̾̔̆͛̐͗̊̏̾̅̐͂̅̾͌̈́̑̓͌͋̓̕̕̕͜͠͠͠͠͝͝ͅÄ̸̢̛̛̛̛̛̘́͐̀̀́̀̀̎̀̐̽̓̊̀͒̊̐̏͋̏͐͋̍̇̾͑͊̀͒̎͊̾̔͆̋̃̃͗̽̊̅̿̌̔̅̍̈́̀̎̀̔̅̊̓̑͑̃̏͆̊̉̇͐̒̃̔̎̈́͊̆̿͘̚̚̚̚̚̚͘͘̕͝͠͠͝͠͝͝͝͝N̵̢̧̢̢̢̨̡̢̛̛̻̲͈̬̘̲̯̖̞̤̦̦̝͍̱͇̬̭̪͎̘̲͉͔̳̬̩̪̩̣͍̠̗͔͔͓̗͚͕̤͚̙̦̞̱̞̣̝̘̙̲̼̖̖̜͎̝͛̂̀͐̈́͊͌̀̾̒̾̆͆͑̾̊̿̊͂̅͗̾͑̈͑̃̊͆̔͐̍̀̐̄̀͊̕͘͘͜͝͝͠͝ͅ ̷̡̢̨̧̡̡̢̧̛̖̱̳̮͇̰̲͉̼̺̣͕̳̼̯͉̭͔̘̬̙̼͖̼̭͙̜̳̪̞͇̙̝̣̼̲͕͖͍̊̽̇͒́̃̉͂̌̔̋̇͒͑̊͐͊͆̒̈́̆͗́̌̏͛̍̂̋͗̔̑̿̓͗͋̊̉̅͆̄͌̇̊̋̎̐̅̈́̑̑́̈̐̒̃̏̆̆̒̀̈̍̄̇̓̒̽̒̾̏͑͌͌̍̅̆̔͒̇͒̚̕͘͘̚̕̕͜͝͠͝͝ͅψ̴̧̡̛̟͚̘̺͓͕͖͉͇͇̥̬̮͙͍̖̖̠͖͎͖̟͎̼͍͈̳̇̃͆́̋̆́̂̿̈́̒̂͋̈́͗̀̈́̊͑͋̕͜͜͝͠ ̵̢̡̨̡̨̢̡̡̛͕̤̯̦̙̗̞̱̭̮̥̤̥͚͎̯͙̮͈̱̞̦͓̜̞̤̜͍͉͉̬̰͔̦̪̙̖̦̖̦͎̭̥͕̞̦͖͙̱͖͍̬̭̹͉̖̩̰̭͍͈̈͒̅̃̌̑̈́̋͆̑̉̀̿́̀̐̚̚̚̕͜͝͝͝ͅ⛥̶̟̩̋͂̈͂͗̿̎̏̈́͆̌̓̈́́͋̈́̑̂̇̾̒̓́̇͂́͛́͛̆̇̈̉́̅͋̈̏́̑̄̇̎̂̿̆́́̔̆̏̉͑̍̓̉̿͂̿̊̆̂͗͊̇̔̅̑̉͗̔͊̊̓͑͗̕̕̕̕͝͝͝͝. does not tolerate weakness. Prove yourself, or perish.”
With that, the figure dissolved into a cloud of black mist, leaving behind an oppressive silence.
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Geon stood in the aftermath, his mind racing. The shadow reformed beside him, its presence oddly comforting despite its usual snark.
“Well, that was dramatic,” it said. “But hey, at least now you’ve got some clarity. Sort of.”
“Clarity?” Geon spat. “All I know is that I’m a pawn in some sick game. And now I’m stuck with... whatever that was.”
The shadow shrugged. “Could be worse. At least you’re alive. And stronger, too, thanks to the contract.”
Geon hesitated, then opened his phone again. The player overview had updated, the numbers shifting as though the system itself was watching his every move.
Class Global Rank Level Kill Count Demon #500678 50 9
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Geon’s eyes widened. “Five hundred thousand? I jumped over half a million ranks?”
The shadow smirked. “Don't forget, everything comes with a price. Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s find someone to kill.”
Geon didn’t respond immediately. He looked out over the ruined city, the weight of his new reality pressing down on him. He thought of Lila, of her smile, her laughter. He clenched his fists.
“I’ll play your game,” he said, his voice low but resolute. “And I will get my way!”
Geon turned and began walking, his path uncertain but his resolve unshakable. Somewhere out there, his sister was waiting. And he would tear down the system itself to find her.