Two red moons. Viscous Demonic energy flooded Zenon’s hideout.

“Run!!!”

Zenon thrust his enormous staff forward and shouted at Evan’s party.

“Wha-what is this!!!”

Evan couldn’t suppress his shock at the sight unfolding before him.

The demon horde that had driven the Teron Kingdom to ruin — their eyes were blazing.

“How did they get here… Where is the Player?!”

Evan wasted precious seconds scanning the area for Ha Gangwoo. Zenon bellowed again.

“What are you doing!!! There’s no time!”

Evan finally snapped to attention. He grabbed Rain and Teil, one under each arm.

Five demons flared their azure eyes and howled.

“Aaaaah!!!”

The ear-splitting roar flooded the land.

Basilante — ranked third — wept tears of blood as he fixed his gaze on Evan.

“That’s the bastard!!!”

They were all trash, but only one person could have killed Serchel: Evan.

Krrrr-

With every furious breath Basilante took, the air vibrated with a sinister resonance.

Basilante clicked his razor fangs and murmured low.

“I’ll handle this whole place. Don’t interfere.”

Demon rank was absolute. But the fourth-ranked demon ignored Basilante’s command.

“Stubborn pride. Don’t let your ego—”

Crunch-

The same sinister resonance — and the fourth-ranked demon coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Basilante’s massive arm had punched straight through the fourth-ranked demon’s torso.

“Th… think you’ll walk away from this?!”

The rank-four demon ground its fangs in fury, but—Crack!—Basilante’s enormous maw swallowed the rank-four demon’s upper body whole.

It had begun the taboo act of Devouring its own kind.

Crunch, crunch—the grotesque sound of bones being crushed and torn continued.

Gulp, gulp—with every swallow of flesh, Basilante’s body swelled larger.

Grrrrr—

Basilante let out a bestial growl, as if it had lost all reason.

“Just secure the vessel.”

With Basilante’s command, a horrific slaughter began.

***

The damp mist made his body feel heavier and heavier.

Zenon was using his power to spread the mist even here, inside.

“Hah… hah…”

Evan gasped for breath as he pushed through the fog.

All he could see was the hazy mist. But he couldn’t stop.

“E… Evan.”

In Evan’s arms, Rain and Teil were trembling violently, gripped by fear.

But Evan had no time to spare for them.

Boom!!!!

A massive explosion erupted behind Evan, and the mist swayed with a low *whoosh*.

‘There’s no time!’

Evan could vaguely sense it. The blast meant Zenon was dead.

“Master!!!”

Zenon’s disciple, Zelta, wailed and came to a halt.

“We have to go!!!”

Seeing this, Shamiel grabbed Zelta’s arm and pulled him along.

And so, the five survivors desperately pressed on through the mist.

“Aaaagh!!!!”

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream rang out, and the mist began to slowly clear. Zenon’s death was dispelling it.

‘There’s no time!’

Evan had to make a decision now.

‘The moment we’re caught like this, it’s annihilation.’

The demon was too fast, and Evan’s group too slow. So Evan made a choice.

Evan stopped abruptly and set Rain and Teil down.

“Go on ahead. I’ll buy us time.”

“What?! “

The others were bewildered, but at the look in Evan’s eyes, they couldn’t say a word.

“Evan!”

“No! We’re coming with you!”

Rain and Teil protested, but Zelta and Shamiel held them back.

“Thank you for everything.”

Shamiel said with a serious expression, and Evan turned around without a word.

“Go, now!”

And so Evan was left alone in the mist.

Thump, thump—

Listening to the sound of his own heart, Evan closed his eyes in the terrible silence.

Then came a chilling sound: thud, thud—footsteps pounding the earth.

Evan slowly opened his eyes.

Grrrrr—

A massive demon, easily over four meters tall, was staring down at him with maddened blue eyes.

Without a word, Evan gripped his sword tighter.

***

Ding-

[Quest updated.]

Ha Gangwoo slowly opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.

Perhaps it was the crimson moon, but the fog itself had taken on a bloody tint.

‘What.’

He’d been squared off against five demons moments ago — but this wasn’t that anymore.

‘No way…’

Ha Gangwoo yanked open his quest log.

[Scenario 1: The Greatest Crisis][Main](NEW)

Description: Zenon’s hideout has been discovered. A rage-filled horde of demons is hunting Rain and Teil. Rescue them!

(Rewards vary based on number of survivors.)

(Warning! If Rain dies, the scenario ends.)

Reward: ???

Survivors: [Evan], [Rain], [Teil], [Shamiel], [Zelta]

Deceased: [Zenon]

“Coercion…”

His uneasy premonition hadn’t been wrong.

The Scenario’s Coercion — it had activated.

Ha Gangwoo set Mik on the ground and brought the Big Glaive to hand.

*Crick-crack.* The weapon’s dense weight settled into his grip, forcing his fingers to tighten.

‘One, to start.’

He took a single light step back.

“KYAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

A demon lunged out, laughing with ugly glee.

It brought a colossal fist down on the earth where Gangwoo had been standing.

*BOOM!!!*

The demon leered at Gangwoo for dodging its attack.

“What?! You dodged—?”

The demon seemed to mutter something, but then — *thump* — its head hit the floor.

*Ding-*

[You have defeated Elite Unit Knight Tebelon.]

[You acquire 21,500 EXP!!]

[Perk bonus: you acquire an additional 21,500 EXP.]

[You acquire 195,000 Gold.]

*Crunch-*

Ha Gangwoo placed a hand on the demon’s savagely severed flesh.

‘Four left, then.’

*Schlorp-* Barzel’s Appetite stretched out like rubber, coiling around the demon’s body.

*Crackle-crackle-* The sickening peristalsis ended, like a stomach clenching.

*Ding-*

[You have devoured Tebelon.]

[Absorption rate: 70%]

[Strength: +43]

A grateful chime sounded.

In an instant, his whole body felt flooded with power, making him lighter.

‘Strength this time? Not bad.’

Ha Gangwoo checked the satiety meter on Barzel’s Appetite.

[Barzel’s Appetite]

Grade: ???

Durability: ∞/∞

Satiety: 32/100

Attack: 30

Strength: +43

Mana: +6

Description: A gauntlet imbued with Barzel’s Appetite. A powerful hunger lingers within — beware, it may devour its wielder as well.

Effects

– Barzel’s Appetite gains the Devour effect.

(Warning! The devoured target is destroyed.)

– On hit, 30% (3↑) chance of explosion.

– Grants the Excruciating Pain effect.

‘It went up by 32.’

He had finished the satiety grind after his negotiations with Emily before coming here.

Before entering, the meter had been at 0. Just devouring a single monster had brought it up to 32.

‘Better not feed it trash mobs.’

Ha Gangwoo dismissed the status window and slung the Big Glaive over his shoulder, then shifted his gaze.

‘…..’

Demonization sharpened his sense of smell. That was how he caught it now.

He followed the coppery tang of blood with his eyes. There lay the crumpled form of an old woman, grotesquely broken.

Ha Gangwoo moved toward her slowly.

‘Zenon…’

Zenon’s upper and lower body had been brutally severed. She was already cold.

‘…’

Zenon was an NPC destined to die in the original Scenario. But there was no story where she perished this quickly.

It was the DLC—Another Story—that had twisted the Scenario.

Ha Gangwoo bent down and closed Zenon’s open eyes with his fingers.

Survivors: [Evan], [Rain], [Teil], [Shamiel], [Zelta]

‘No time.’

No additional casualties yet. He had to move as fast as possible.

Ha Gangwoo lowered his stance and expanded his Sense to its maximum. Then he felt it.

The presence of a demon radiating sinister Demonic energy.

‘Let’s go!’

Ha Gangwoo started to step toward that place—then suddenly stopped.

A question had surfaced in his mind.

‘No way… Would it actually work?’

Ha Gangwoo stared at Zenon’s brutally mangled corpse with cold eyes.

Slowly, he placed his right palm on her forehead.

‘Devour.’

The moment the Activation word formed in his mind, Barzel’s Appetite stretched out like liquid—shooo—

‘It works.’

With a blank expression, Ha Gangwoo watched as Barzel’s Appetite—kchik—crunched into Zenon’s flesh, devouring it.

About three seconds passed.

Ding-

[You have devoured Zenon.]

[Absorption Rate: 80%]

[You have acquired one of Zenon’s abilities.]

A welcome notification chimed.

Ha Gangwoo looked at his own palm with a wistful expression.

‘That’s unsettling.’

It absorbed not just Monsters but NPCs too—was there no limit at all? The more he used it, the more the item gave him the creeps.

No matter how artificial the NPC, feeding her to an item didn’t sit well with him.

Krunch—

Ha Gangwoo clenched his fist tight. A satisfying grind echoed from Barzel’s Appetite.

He immediately lowered his stance.

‘Let’s move for now.’

He wanted to check the effects he’d absorbed from Zenon right away, but there was no time.

Besides, his current abilities were already sufficient.

Vwoom—

Ding-

[Swift Movements] [ON]

[Movement speed increased by 50%.]

A blue light rippled around Ha Gangwoo’s legs, and—Bang! He tore into the ground, surging forward.

***

Crrrrack!!!!

The splintering sound of shattering bone filled the mist.

“Aaaargh!!!!”

Evan howled in agony.

His left arm was bent at a grotesque angle, bone jutting straight out. The blood drenching his whole body showed just how severe his wounds were.

The demon struck Evan’s abdomen with all its might.

Crack! The impact was colossal.

“Kugh…”

Evan’s body tumbled wretchedly across the ground.

“I won’t let you off easy. You dared to lay hands on Serchel…”

The demon’s eerie voice echoed through the mist.

Evan didn’t hear a word of the demon’s taunts.

“Aagh!!!”

“Please… spare me!”

The screams of Evan’s fellow knight beyond the fog were paralyzing his reason.

‘No!’

Ignoring the agonizing pain, Evan forced himself upright.

He had to protect something more precious than his own life.

“Rraah!!!”

Clutching his dangling arm, Evan stumbled toward the source of the screams.

But—

Snatch—

Basilante’s massive hand seized Evan’s head and hoisted him into the air.

“Kugh…”

Evan’s legs dangled hopelessly away from the earth. The grip’s crushing force squeezed blood from his ears to his eyes.

Through his blurring vision, Evan stared at the demon’s grotesque face.

‘Is… this… how I die.’

Evan’s sight darkened, inch by inch. Beyond the fading darkness, desperate cries reached him.

“Please… save me.”

“Ev… Evan…”

A child’s voice, calling out for him in desperation.

But he had no strength left to even twitch a finger.

Evan was growing cold.

But in that very moment—

Crunch—

Basilante gouged into Evan’s abdomen and began pouring in Demonic Energy.

“Aaaagh!!!”

Evan’s dying body was forcefully revived by the Demonic Energy.

Watching this, Basilante curled a sinister grin and yanked Evan’s left arm taut.

“You think you can just die easy?”

“Aaaargh!!!”

Evan screamed in agony.

Squelch— His right shoulder muscles stretched like rubber bands, then blood burst from the torn fibers.

Evan clenched his teeth against the pain.

‘Why am I so powerless.’

He’d gained superhuman strength and lived smugly. With that power, he’d easily joined the kingdom’s knights and slaughtered Monsters without trouble.

Maybe that complacency had led to this.

“Ragh!!!!”

It was in that moment of Evan’s desperate outcry—

Swish—

A black-clad figure swept past Basilante.

“Huh?!”

Basilante stared at his suddenly blazing shoulder.

His arm, ripped clean from the shoulder socket, spurted blood alongside bare bone.

“Aagh!!!”

Gripping his gushing shoulder, Basilante howled in blinding pain.

Then he slowly turned his gaze toward the black figure.

“W-Who the hell are you!!!”

The black new-model held one of Basilante’s massive arms. It gently set down the Evan it had seized onto the ground.

In an instant, Basilante’s entire body bristled with goosebumps.

Because of those crimson-red, blazing eyes—so eerily identical to *His* eyes.

“You bastard! What the hell are you?!”

Basilante roared, then realization struck. The truth that the being before him was the real culprit who had killed Serchel.

“So it’s you… You dared to kill Serchel!!!”

Suddenly, Basilante’s body began to swell. Muscles bulged, and the arm that had been spewing blood healed over.

“Ughhh!!!!”

In that instant, an immense surge of Demonic energy erupted.

Ha Gangwoo looked at Basilante, a corner of his mouth lifting with interest.

“What’s with that guy.”

It was one of the five demons from their first encounter.

Had it been crying tears of blood? From its recent words and actions, it was clearly a Monster with a connection to Serchel.

But something was different.

”It’s stronger than before?”

It had grown incomparably stronger than when they first met. As if it had leveled up.

”At least it looks like it’ll be a bit of a challenge.”

Ha Gangwoo extended his palm toward Basilante.

[Summoned Big Glaive from Inventory.]

The massive greatsword snapped smoothly into his grip. In an instant, its heavy weight made him grip the weapon with both hands.

Ha Gangwoo then kicked off the ground and charged forward.

*CRASHHH—*

Ha Gangwoo’s body tore across the earth at a ferocious speed.

Watching Ha Gangwoo, Basilante bared its teeth in a wide grin.

“I don’t know how you got His power, but with that much, you don’t stand a chance!!!!”

The crimson eyes, the alien Demonic energy—it was definitely His power. But just a cheap imitation.

In an instant, Basilante’s skin hardened.

Having Devoured the 4th-ranked demon and achieved Awakening now. There was no way it could lose to some imitation.

*WHOOOM—* The massive greatsword carved an arc through the air toward Basilante’s body. An eerie vibration viciously split the air.

*GRRRRIND—*

Big Glaive screeched a grotesque sound as it ground against Basilante’s hide.

“AAARGH!!!!”

Basilante’s face contorted in pain. Because that imitation was slowly piercing through its light armor.

”This bastard!!!!”

That was the moment Basilante gritted its teeth in agony.

*CRRRRACK—*

Big Glaive shattered Basilante’s hide and began to carve into its flesh.

“UGHHH!!!!”

Basilante screamed in pain and expelled its Demonic energy. *CRUNCH—* Blood gushed out as the viscous Demonic energy grew denser.

It was right then, as Big Glaive ground through the area near Basilante’s solar plexus.

*GRRRRIND—*

Big Glaive came to a halt.

Basilante’s frenzy had hardened its body even further.

“That’s right. A cheap imitation could never cut it.”

Basilante bared a malicious grin, its colossal maw splitting open with a crack.

Rows of teeth, as sinister as a shark’s, lunged toward Ha Gangwoo’s body.

“Die!!!”

Normally, it would have wanted to savor making him writhe in agony, but the damage was too severe.

If it didn’t Devour him right now, the situation would become dangerously dire.

And just as Basilante’s massive jaws were about to completely swallow Ha Gangwoo’s body—

Ding-

[165 MP consumed.]

[The size of Big Glaive increases.]

The Big Glaive embedded in its chest swelled, growing larger—

Crack—

And split Basilante’s body clean in two.

Ding-

[Elite Knight Awakened Basilante defeated.]

[28,500 EXP gained!!]

[28,500 bonus EXP gained from Perk effect.]

[295,000 Gold acquired.]

[Level up!!!]

[Mimic’s rank increased!!!]

[Rank: E → D]

Thud!

The enlarged Big Glaive slammed into the ground, anchoring it.

“Ugh!”

Ha Gangwoo tried to lift the Big Glaive, then gave up.

“It’s heavy.”

Big Glaive’s effect consumed MP to increase its size, but the weight grew proportionally with it.

‘Tricky to use.’

The size-shift was appealing, but when it came to wielding it freely, his Strength just wasn’t enough.

Ha Gangwoo stashed the Big Glaive into his Inventory and walked toward Evan.

“Huff… huff…”

Evan’s wounds were horrific — severe enough that death wouldn’t have been surprising. But a bigger problem loomed.

“Demonic energy?”

Evan’s body was regenerating, slowly, fed by Demonic energy.

Just as Ha Gangwoo was observing Evan’s condition—

Evan grabbed Ha Gangwoo’s hand and murmured in a low voice.

“Please… the Princess and the Prince…”

A blue light shimmered in Evan’s eyes. Not a Demon Eye, but it was clear he was already twisted by Demonic energy.

‘Does he have an infection skill?’

Potions didn’t work on NPCs. Healing him right now would require a skill — but there was no way to do it.

‘I’ll leave him for now.’

The Demonic energy thickened, yet his body grew stronger, revived.

Survivors: [Evan], [Rain], [Teil], [Shamiel], [Zelta]

Deceased: [Zenon]

No casualties yet.

Ha Gangwoo decided to set Evan aside for now and search for Rain.

He closed his eyes, spreading his Sense to its absolute limit.

[Demonic energy is consuming your body.]

[Demonic energy: +1]

The more Demonic energy surged, the more his mind blurred, but it was still bearable.

Ha Gangwoo continued scanning his surroundings.

But time slipped away into nothing, and he slowly opened his eyes.

‘Can’t feel anything.’

Within a 200-meter radius, no life existed except for Evan’s presence.

Ha Gangwoo ground his teeth and moved forward. There was no sign of life — but the scent of blood was unmistakable.

‘No way…’

Survivors: [Evan], [Rain], [Teil], [Shamiel], [Zelta]

Deceased: [Zenon]

Ha Gangwoo kept scanning the casualty list as he moved toward the source of the stench of blood, each step carrying him deeper into the reek.

‘….’

But when he got there, Rain and Teil were gone.

All that remained was Evan’s fellow knight, torn apart in a grotesque mess.

‘Where are they.’

Gangwoo’s face twisted as he hunted for traces around him—and that’s when it hit.

Ding-

[Quest has updated.]

[Main Quest: Greatest Crisis content has changed.]

The quest had just refreshed out of nowhere.