~Earlier Today~
In the Danger Zone, a veteran team moved through the forest with calculated ease. These weren't green adventurers—they were seasoned hunters, intimately familiar with the treacherous terrain.
But today, they weren't here to hunt just any monster.
"Make sure to track their every step," Theo instructed, pointing at a trail of fresh footprints stamped into the damp soil.
He was the team's leader—rugged, with a neatly trimmed beard and sharp, discerning eyes. His short hair was streaked with gray, but he wore it like a badge of pride. Despite his age, there was no denying he was a handsome man.
"Theo, are you really sure it's a good idea to follow Lady Emira? If we get caught, the Church won't just imprison us... They'll erase us." Phillip's voice was hushed but urgent.
He held a long dagger in his slender hand. With his gaunt frame and narrow features, Phillip always looked half-starved—but his speed and precision were unmatched. It was his natural build.
Theo glanced back at him, thoughtful. Among them were three other members: Kira, Seth, and Mira—each highly capable in their own right. The five formed the Green Feather Team, specialists in reconnaissance and forest combat.
Their mission today wasn't one of orders—it was of opportunity.
"We follow Emira to find out what she's searching for," Theo said, licking his lips. "The Church doesn't share secrets easily. But they wouldn't send her here without something rare involved."
The group nodded. None of them liked the risk, but all of them understood the potential reward.
As they pressed deeper into the woods, Phillip suddenly halted, raising a hand.
"I–It's a Golden Viper!" he hissed, pointing ahead.
Everyone froze.
"Are you sure?" Kira, a lithe, dark-haired archer, grinned. "Let's go get it!"
Golden Vipers were rare and dangerous. Their glittering scales were worth a fortune, often turned into enchanted jewelry. Their venom could be refined into powerful potions, and their meat was a delicacy for mana users.
Theo's eyes darted between the footprints and the direction Phillip pointed.
"We'll kill it fast, collect what we can, and get back to tracking Emira. Stay sharp."
"Deal!"
The team moved swiftly and silently, cutting through the undergrowth toward the beast.
When they reached the clearing, they saw the viper in action. It was already coiled around a giant salamander, tearing into it with terrifying strength. The creature's massive body shimmered gold under the faint sunlight filtering through the leaves.
"Theo… that's…" Phillip began.
"I know. That salamander was tough. But the viper shredded it like paper."
"C-Class for a reason," Seth muttered, stepping forward in his pristine white robe. "That thing's a monster."
Theo's eyes narrowed. The area was quiet—eerily so. Only the rustling of leaves and the distant chirp of mana-fed crickets filled the silence.
"Alright, let's move—"
BANG!
A shockwave rippled through the trees as a figure dropped into the clearing like a thunderbolt.
A young man.
His left arm was completely black, like it had been dipped in obsidian ink. With one clean, vicious motion, he drove it through the viper's skull.
"I–Isn't that the guy Mister Sera spoke to at the agency?" the youngest of their group whispered.
She was barely older than a teenager, but she was the most promising one among them—an ability user who grew stronger over time, and fast.
The group watched in disbelief as Santiaga—yes, it had to be him—ripped his arm out of the golden-scaled viper like it was nothing more than soft dough.
Theo swallowed hard, studying the man's expressionless face.
"Hey, Theo," Phillip murmured, stepping back. "Let's just let the guy have his kill. Even our best gear can't pierce those scales."
"No," Theo replied with a quiet grin. "We're taking our prize."
"You're crazy," Mira hissed. "This isn't worth our lives."
Theo shook his head. "He's new. Still figuring out his abilities. He looked surprised when he killed it. He's just some rookie with a flashy power."
Drawing his longsword from its sheath, Theo's confidence didn't waver.
The rest of the team hesitated, then slowly armed themselves.
As Santiaga knelt beside the corpse to begin collecting the cores and valuable parts, Kira didn't wait—she fired an arrow at him without hesitation.
But before it landed, Santiaga vanished, reappearing on the other side of the viper.
Theo laughed, stepping from the shadows. "Who knew the new guy would get so lucky?!"
Santiaga stood, brushing dust from his knee. His cyan eyes locked onto the group now circling him.
"Gentlemen, don't tell me you're planning to rob me?" he said calmly, eyeing each of them one by one.
"Let me be clear, rookie," Theo said, strolling forward like he owned the place. "You've had your little hero moment. Now walk away and leave the corpse. This territory is under Green Feather jurisdiction."
Santiaga said nothing at first. He assessed their weapons, the tension in their bodies, the greed in their eyes.
'They seriously want to steal what I killed? Not surprising. They're all filth.' He stood straight, face emotionless.
'Urgh, this dumb bastard should just leave already.'
Santiaga caught the thought from Theo and smirked.
"I'm sorry, but it's my kill," he said with a smile. "You'll have to go find another."
The six adventurers tensed. Their stances shifted. They were armed, trained, and clearly ready to attack. But that didn't worry Santiaga.
'Let's see what you've got.'
"Well, don't blame me for what happens next," Theo said, leveling his sword toward Santiaga.
With a sudden crack, the earth beneath him fractured as he launched forward at breakneck speed.
A burst of killing intent flooded the space.
'I'll kill you, you motherfucker!'
But Theo's grin faltered mid-charge.
Santiaga was gone.
And then—a flash of movement behind him.
Pain exploded through Theo's shoulder as blood sprayed.
He dropped to his knees, screaming in agony. His arm hit the ground beside him, severed cleanly.
Santiaga stepped over the bleeding limb and casually picked up the longsword. The black mass covering his left arm seeped into the blade, darkening it to midnight.
He turned to face the remaining five.
His smile widened.
"Now," he said, voice low and menacing, "which of you is next?"
The forest air stood still.
'This is the start of my journey,' Santiaga thought as he raised the corrupted sword and smiled like a devil.
Blood splattered across the mossy forest floor as Theo's screams faded into ragged gasps. Santiaga stood tall, his midnight-black arm now pulsing—veins glowing faintly with an eerie, void-like hue.
Kira tried to retreat, but Santiaga wasn't letting her go, he appeared behind her, shooting a black ball towards her that formed webs and tied her up.
"No—! Please, I didn't mean—!"
"You aimed for my head with that arrow, right?" Santiaga asked, stepping toward her with a twisted smile. "You meant everything."
He clenched his left hand and the webs tightened. Her body began to turn into a weird shape as the sweat pored in her body started to leak out blood.
Her scream echoed for miles, the other group members lunged at Santiaga desperately to kill him.
"Hehehe, hahahahahahahaha...!" Santiaga laughed.
A loud, genuine, cracked laugh that came from deep inside. The kind that only someone who'd tasted despair could release. "Hahahaha... do you feel it? This helplessness? This is what I lived in!"
Mira lunged from the side, dagger in hand, but Santiaga didn't flinch. He raised his hand calmly.
[Null Gate: Split]
A tear in space burst open in front of him. It wasn't like a spell—it was just a black tear in space. A ghostly hand reached from within and slapped the young Mira mid-air, sending her flying into a tree, bones cracking on impact.
He turned to the two last men standing—Seth, the white-robed mage trembling with his staff. And Philip, who held a long dagger in his hand.
"Mercy," Seth whispered, falling to his knees. "Please…"
Santiaga tilted his head, making Philip flinch.
"Mercy? I've never had that luxury."
A pulse of black energy erupted from his body as Parasite activated fully. A translucent shadow slithered along the ground, latching onto Seth's spine.
"I want you to live in fear," Santiaga whispered. "Even in death."
With a final twist of his arm, the parasite drained every drop of mana from Seth's body, leaving only a husk.
The forest went still.
Philip still stood there, terrified.
~'He's a monster!'
Santiaga smiled as he heard that and turned to Philip.
"No man, I am no monster. I am simply a result of this broken, cursed world. You all are going down with me." He said, walking close to Philip.
His hand was quick, too quick.
He bursted through Philip's chest with ease, letting the hero cough out blood and pant for breath.
Soon, he fell to the ground, just like the rest of them.
~'I need to run from this demon!'
Santiaga glanced back immediately and saw Theo trying to run. He looked at the black sword in his hand before he threw it with all his force towards Theo.
The sword busted through his head with ease, making brain meat splat all over the floor.
Santiaga stood amidst the broken, mangled bodies of his enemies, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell, and though he had won…
...he could barely stand.
'Damn… mana's gone. That last Null Gate drained too much.'
He stumbled, leaning against the viper's corpse, chuckling weakly.
Ohhhh... The sweet feeling of being able to kill heroes.
Their hypocrisy has gone on for too long.