The cave was dark: the only sound came from the crackling firewood.
It was oddly calming—and at the same time, it rattled my nerves.
I was thinking about the offer made by the owner of the cave.
'If I accept his offer, maybe I'll have a chance to save and find my family. But… there's something in his words that makes me doubt him.
Before anything else, I should ask how I ended up in this world.'
With that thought, I turned toward him.
Before speaking, I carefully crafted the question in my mind and then said:
"I'll think about your offer… after you answer my questions."
I looked him in the eye with a serious expression.
He gave no reaction—no sound, no sign.
'That must mean he agrees.'
Thinking that, I continued speaking.
Since we were negotiating, I asked in a firm tone:
"How did I end up in this world? And how can I return?"
He remained silent for a while.
Just as I was about to move closer to check if he had died, he suddenly spoke again:
"Recently, the Lord of the Abyss broke through his dimension and attacked the world you're in now. As a result, the barrier separating the two worlds weakened. Through that rift, you crossed over into this one."
Without hesitation, I asked the next question:
"To return, do I need to reach his rank?"
I paused, exhaled deeply, and said in a firm voice:
"That's impossible!"
The cave's master responded in a serious tone:
"I'm not finished… This world does not follow the rules you know. Here, if humans choose the right path, they can rise even higher than the gods—if they possess the necessary mark."
His words began to raise suspicion in me.
"My next question: What exactly are those marks?"
His voice began to weaken. I sensed his life was slipping away, so I hurried to ask more.
"Marks are the beacons of your chosen path. They show which direction you've decided to walk. But the core choice is always yours."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Even when you gain a mark, it's only the first step of your path. You must be cautious. The only way to get a mark from another is by killing them—or with their consent."
His explanation reminded me of primitive eras from old books, and I shuddered slightly.
"When you acquire the mark, a screen will appear before you. It will display your abilities and potential."
"What kind of screen?" I asked with a confused look.
Instead of answering, he silently summoned a shimmering yellow screen before me. It reminded me of holographic panels from sci-fi movies.
"My next question: How can I find my family?"
Just as he began to speak, he suddenly coughed violently. I thought he might die right then and there. But he soon continued.
"If you can raise the rank of the mark I give you to Rank 7, you'll unlock a skill that lets you locate anyone, anywhere in the world."
'So, if I get this mark and rank it up, I'll be able to find my family. Sounds like a game mechanic.'
I fell into thought.
He fell silent again, gazing at me as if awaiting a decision.
'Should I accept his offer?' the question echoed in my head.
If what he said was true, this world didn't seem easy to survive in. To stay alive, I'd need strength—not just for myself, but for my family as well.
Right then, I made my decision. I walked around the fire toward him.
Now up close, I could see his face, which had been hidden behind the flames.
He appeared to be a tall man around 30–40 years old, with deep ocean-blue eyes.
From his voice, I had assumed he was around 50–60.
Standing before him, I extended my hand.
"Alright. I accept your offer."
He looked at my hand, then reached out his trembling one and said:
"If you accept my offer, we must seal it with a blood pact."
That caught me off guard.
'A blood pact? Isn't a verbal agreement enough?'
Seeing the confusion on my face, he explained:
"If you break the contract we're making now, the blood pact will kill you."
'What?! I just barely escaped death, and now this? But wait… he didn't say when I had to revive him, right?'
I began scanning his words for hidden clauses.
"I have one question. Does it matter when I revive you? Because the journey could take time…"
He didn't hesitate to answer:
"No, it doesn't matter. Do it whenever you think it's right."
"My last question: Why are you trying to be revived? Do you have unfinished business?"
Sitting on his throne, he looked at me in silence, then spoke:
"Yes, there are some things I need to finish. I have… friends to see."
Then he extended his hand. "Do you agree to the contract?"
"I do," I said, shaking his hand.
Honestly, I wasn't sure if what I was doing was right or wrong. But for my family… I would do anything without fear.
He began explaining our agreement:
"As per our contract, I'll grant you the mark and the powers needed to find your family. In return, when the time comes, you'll use those powers to revive me. That's the deal. Now, repeat after me: I swear by blood—I will fulfill the contract."
I repeated his words:
"I swear by blood—I will fulfill the contract."
The moment I said it, a red snake mark appeared on his right hand. It looked carved into his skin.
It slithered from his hand onto mine.
Even while standing by the fire, I suddenly felt cold.
The snake crawled across my shoulder and coiled over my heart, biting its own tail to form a circle.
When it did that, I felt my heart stop for a moment—as if someone had grabbed it with their hand.
'The snake… it's holding my heart.'
Letting go of his hand, I clutched my chest.
Not long after we completed the pact, my right hand started to burn.
'It's getting hot. No—it's…'
Suddenly, the heat spread throughout my body and began to burn. Just when I thought the pain was over, a new one began.
It felt like my body was set ablaze. My muscles were being ground like meat. Though my bones were intact, it felt as if they were being shattered and crushed.
'A-gain?!'
I collapsed to the ground, grinding my teeth to endure the agony and breathing deeply.
He spoke again:
"I forgot to mention something. When that lightning struck you, it also brought your family here. You and one other family member crossed over. The others haven't arrived yet—but they will, in time. For now, you need to find just one."
Even while writhing on the ground in pain, I began thinking.
'So… only one of them is here. That's good. At least the rest will have time to prepare before arriving, and I'll be able to save them.'
As I thought that, my eyes began to close.
'Oh… I never asked his name. Well… I guess it doesn't matter… anymore…'
And I fell asleep right there.
'Where… am I? Why am I sleeping on the ground?'
I opened my eyes and, holding my throbbing head, sat up.
Looking around, I saw stones, the extinguished fire, and the stone throne—and remembered the events of last night.
'Right… I made a pact with that man. He said the mark would appear.'
I looked at my left hand—nothing. Then checked my right.
There it was—a red circular symbol with some ominous shapes inside.
'So that's the mark.'
As I sat there, I realized I felt different.
'I feel… strange. My body feels lighter. My arms feel stronger.'
I stood up and sprinted from inside the cave all the way to the cliff where I had fallen.
Even I was surprised by how quickly I reached it.
'This must be the power he mentioned. I should thank him.'
I turned back to the cave.
But when I returned, he was gone.
'Where is he?'
Looking around, I found only his clothes resting on the stone throne.
'He's gone. Dead, probably. I guess people die differently in this world.'
I gathered his clothes, buried them, and placed stones above the grave.
"I'll complete the task you entrusted to me. Just wait a little longer."
Then I headed to the mouth of the cave.
When I reached the top, I remembered the cliff I had fallen from and looked upward.
'I'm returning to the world of light—and I will find my family. No matter who has come to this world… I'll find them.'