'I... I did it...'
Jiho's gaze was locked on Joon-Seok's lifeless, charred body sprawled across the floor.'I… killed someone.'
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother's legs. He didn't dare look up to meet her eyes.
[ZOMBIFICATION: 0%]
[Rage Mode: Deactivated]
The flames engulfing Jiho vanished. His skin cooled. His hair returned to normal.
[You have slain a PLAYER within your level range! You are eligible to 100% of the EXP!]
+20,500,000 EXP
LEVEL 50
EXP: 0% → 20%
[CONGRATULATIONS! You've prevailed by choosing: FIGHT]
[A UNIQUE REWARD is now available!]
[NOTICE: Your first choice was FIGHT. That makes you either decisive… or relentless.]
Reward unlocked: A new skill has been made available to support the path you've chosen.
[FIRST BLOOD! You've taken a human life for the first time. Additional EXP granted.]
Jiho flinched.
[FIRST BLOOD BONUS — The first life you've taken was that of another PLAYER. Impressive. A UNIQUE REWARD is now available in addition to—]
He shook his head violently, cutting the message off with a blink. His mother's face came into view — her mouth agape, her eyes wide, trembling, teary.
"M-Mom… I—"
[YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!]
A message popped in front of him.
Stop…!!
He clenched his teeth. But before he could even get angry at the interruption, another message appeared:
LEVEL 50 → 51
"STOP…!!!" Jiho muttered, his breath catching in his throat.
FIGHT [Lv.1] → FIGHT [Lv.2]
"FUCKING STOP!!!!!" he screamed, violently shaking his head.
And then—finally—the messages stopped.
That's when he saw her.
His mother. Flinching away from him.
His face went pale. His breath hitched. He stumbled back, a deliberate step.
He looked down.
The corpse was gone.
Lying there instead… was Pooch.
And he was five years old again.
This time, Ji-yeon was the one turning her back on him.
"I… ah… no… I—" He shook his head again, then turned and bolted for the exit. "I'll leave first..!"
"J-… Jiho..!" she called after him, voice trembling.
But he was already gone—sweating bullets, breath ragged, tearing down the street like the past was chasing him.
I'm a fucking monster... Fuck... I'm a fucking monster... I'm a fucking monster... I'm just a fucking monster...
He collapsed to his knees in the park's old sandbox, digging trembling fingers into the cool, smooth grains like they might hold his composure.
[... Ugh, screw this. Boyo, what are you on about?]
"I'm... a monster. She… she'll leave too now. I wanted to leave first. Before it happened. Because it's going to happen. I… I just slaughtered a man in front of her."
He stared at his hands. His Rage form had burned every trace of blood away — but he could still see it.
"I'm a monster," Jiho whispered. His breath hitched. "Like I always was."
[... Okay, I gotta hear this now. That's to do with your dog, right?]
"You hear me all the time, so you know. I… I tortured him. With a hammer. Because..." He swallowed hard. "It felt fun."
His voice cracked.
"When I killed that person just now… it felt the same. I felt... satisfied," Jiho murmured. "I felt good..."
"That he deserved it..."
"That I deserved to do it to him..." he growled, clenching his teeth.
"...And I still think so. I think every bit of suffering I caused him was right...!!! AND THAT I'D DO IT AGAIN!!!"
His breath came sharp, ragged through clenched teeth as he recalled tearing through Joon-Seok's flesh.
[Hm. Alright. What about the dog? D'ya think he deserved it?]
"No." Jiho shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous... He was a tiny mixed pinscher. The worst thing he ever did was shit in the house because we didn't take him out. He deserved NONE of it."
[Then ain't it fine?]
"...?"
[That player was definitely gonna kill you. So isn't it just… a very extreme case of self-defense? I doubt a dog's shit could've killed you. Even if you ate it.]
Jiho's lips pursed. He looked down, arms wrapped tightly around his knees.
"Gross… What's even your point?" he muttered.
[Point is — you know which of them deserved it.]
[A monster hurts everyone. You...]
Jiho bit his lower lip. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
[...you protected your mom, didn't ya, boyo?]
[By definition — you ain't a monster.]
A palm slapped against his mouth as he let out a harsh cough, his whole body trembling. Tears spilled down his face as he buried his head in the sand.
And sobbed.
[Geez… What a bother you are, boyo.]
A new message floated above him.
[One hell of a crybaby.]
[...It's kinda cute, though.]
She murmured it with a smirk, chin resting on her elbow as she watched Jiho sob through the digital screen.
[To think what drove you out of that house were messages that make every other Player scream from joy... Truly... What an odd player.]
A while later...
Jiho sat alone in the park, staring blankly at the noon sun.
"…"
"I can hear you, hyung," he muttered, eyes forward. "What is it?"
"Pscheh. Leveled up your perception, didn't you, bitch?" Jang's voice rang out as he stepped closer.
He came to a stop behind Jiho, hands buried in his pockets.
"…How's mom?" Jiho finally asked.
"Shaken as fuck," Jang sighed. "But asking about you. In case you were wondering. Those French guys showed up not long after you ran. Took over. I healed up soon after they arrived."
"Right…" Jiho muttered to himself.
A pause stretched between them.
Then—
"…It…" Jang took a breath, his voice low. "It should've been me."
Jiho blinked, then turned slightly. "…You wanted to be the one to die?"
"Oh shut the fuck up," Jang muttered. "I mean—I should've been the one to kill him."
Jiho inhaled deeply. "Why? Was he a kid you used to bully?"
He chuckled, but there was no humor behind it.
"Maybe a nerd you never finished tormenting?"
"Or some mafia scum you used to deal with?"
"Or maybe…" Jiho looked down at his hands. "…you're just hungry for it. The kill."
Another moment of silence. Jang recalled how Jiho tore through Joon-Seok's flesh. Now looking at Jiho lowering his head.
"I..." Jang's voice shivered. Jiho, noticing the change, slightly turned again.
"...I was the nerd, twink." Jang said quietly, looking away.
"I was the— the fucking nerd."
Jiho kept his head half-turned toward him, silent.
"I was the kid who got his lunch money stolen. Had cigarettes put out on him… and worse." Jang took a deep breath.
"That guy back there? Talk about bad luck. That was Joon-Seok. The main asshole."
His voice wavered.
"He put me in a wheelchair before I ever met you. My parents disowned me. I lived with my uncle after that. Back in school, Joon-Seok had connections—people in high places. My parents kicked me out like it was part of their morning routine."
"Pieces of shit. Motherfuckers." He spat to the side.
"…Huh," Jiho muttered.
"HUH!?" Jang narrowed his eyes. "What the fuck kinda response is that?!"
"Nothing. Just... Realized I've got it real good, that's all."
"You motherfucker—did you just use my trauma as a stepping stone?! AND BE MORE SURPRISED!! I JUST REVEALED SOME REALLY BIG SHIT!!" Jang waved his arms erratically.
"Well…" Jiho scratched his chin. "I can't say I'm surprised. I always kinda assumed you were bullied… and lying about it."
"THE FUCK!?" Jang stepped forward, vein practically throbbing on his temple.
"I mean… you were really over the top," Jiho continued, unfazed. "Like a child's idea of what a bully should act like."
"MOTHERFUCKER! YOU'VE BEEN CUCKED, YOU DON'T GET TO TALK!" Jang shouted.
Jiho pursed his lips. "I never said I'm better than you, hyung. Why are you so mad?"
"You… MOTHER… FUCKER… It's like being a troll is your default state!"
Despite the outburst, Jiho felt a bit smug.
And Jang—though shouting—seemed oddly at ease.
Not long after, the two walked together in silence.
"You don't have to escort me, hyung," Jiho said, glancing up at him.
"That's not it," Jang replied as they came to a stop in front of Jiho's house.
"My... uh, place…" Jang swallowed and pointed off to the side. "They put it over there."
He looked away, avoiding Jiho's gaze.
But after a moment, Jang glanced back and caught Jiho's reaction—a faint smile.
"They put us close, huh?" Jiho said with a light chuckle.
"F-FUCKER! YOU THINK I ASKED FOR THIS?! SCREW YOU. I'M GOING TO BED," Jang barked before storming off toward his own house.
Jiho exhaled and turned toward his door. 'Looks like Marcel and the others already left. I figured they'd still be here, based on what hyung said… he thought, approaching the entrance.'
'I sense people inside. No hostility, though... Wait—can I detect hostility now?'
He opened the door.
"…What…?" Jiho's eyes narrowed as he stepped through the door.
Yuna was bowing deeply before his mother, while Seokjin knelt beside her, his forehead pressed firmly to the floor.
"PLEASE, MISS AN! PLEASE ACCEPT MY GRATITUDE FOR RAISING A SON AS GOOD AS JIHO! HE SAVED BOTH OUR LIVES!"
"Ah… haha… I… I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that… haha…" Ji-yeon replied, scratching her neck with a nervous smile.
"I'm… sorry, miss…" Yuna murmured. "He can be a bit overzealous, but… I agree."
Ji-yeon's gaze shifted. She looked up—and froze.
"Ah! Jiho!" she called out, eyes wide.
Here we go… Jiho braced himself.
"Mom, I—"
"I was worried sick when you ran off like that!" she rushed forward, brushing past Yuna and Seokjin, reaching out to him.
Her hand rose toward his face.
He flinched—sharply, instinctively.
"I… I'm… You shouldn't…" Jiho looked away, his pulse pounding in his ears. "I… I'm—"
"My son." Her voice cut through his spiral as she cupped his cheek anyway. "Just…"
Her voice trembled.
She gently turned his face toward hers.
"Try… not to show…" She swallowed. Then shook her head quickly. "I'm just glad you're safe."
Jiho stared at her, hearing the words she didn't say—don't show that side again… please…
He slowly raised his hand and pressed it over hers.
'I heard you, Mom. Alright…'
'I won't use it... If I can help it.'