―Breaking news. The White Holes that have been observed around the world since the day of the Rift have simultaneously disappeared…

The anchor’s voice echoed from Kang Jisoo’s phone. The Hunters couldn’t take their eyes off the sky. The White Holes had existed since the moment the Awakened first appeared, serving as a constant reminder of the world that had been turned upside down.

Had a miracle happened?

No.

“There’s no way they just disappeared like that…”

At Uijae’s muttered words, a few Hunters nodded in agreement. Baewon Woo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Do you think something else is happening? But I haven’t heard of anyone doing anything…”

“Did Prometheus pull something again?”

“That was a White Hole. Not even top-ranked Hunters dared to touch it. How the hell could they have made it disappear?”

“They’re the ones who triggered mass blackouts to accelerate the apocalypse. Is there anything they wouldn’t do?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

An uneasy feeling gnawed at Uijae. He swallowed it down and spoke.

“Let’s go outside. Has there been any contact from other guilds or countries?”

“Not yet. It seems like everyone’s still trying to figure out what’s going on. There’s a message in the Ranker chat to stay on standby for now, but it’s not official.”

“What, are we just going to stand around staring at the sky? J is right, let’s at least go outside the building and see what’s happening on the streets.”

Kang Jisoo waved her hand, and the Hunters began to follow her out. Uijae lingered a moment longer, staring up at the ashen sky through the window.

Why do I feel so uneasy?

He pressed a fist against his rapidly beating heart.

Outside the Pado Guild building, the crowd was already massive. Not just Hunters but civilians, too, were lined up in a long queue. Baewon Woo was already waving his enormous hands, trying to keep order.

“The Pado Guild shelter is this way! Guys! Guide them properly! Don’t worry, we’ll protect you if anything happens! Huh? We’re still assessing the situation, ma’am, I understand you’re anxious but…”

“J.”

From just inside the door, Kang Jisoo tugged on Uijae’s arm and whispered.

“If you go out there as yourself, it’ll be chaos. You know, celebrity status and all that. Want to wear a gas mask?”

“But my clothes are—”

“Obviously, we’ve got spare cloaks and robes. Minggijeok!”

“As expected, I was already prepared, my dear customer.”

Minggijeok’s head popped out of Uijae’s shadow, and then his whole upper body emerged, holding out a neatly folded black cloak and a gas mask atop it.

“Please, put it on.”

“Why did you have these ready?”

“It’s my principle to always be prepared for anything. The gas mask even has a voice changer function.”

Absurd, but undeniably useful. Uijae threw the black cloak over his head, covering his face. Then, he took off his mask and put on the gas mask. Shhkk, the sound of his breathing echoed inside. Minggijeok, who had fully climbed out of the shadow, adjusted the cloak with a satisfied grin.

“It’s not top-tier, but it has a bit of a presence-dampening effect. Should be useful.”

‘I already have a skill for that.’

But he didn’t say it. Minggijeok looked too proud of himself. Uijae bowed his head slightly.

“Thank you.”

“No need to mention it.”

Minggijeok pulled out another cloak and mask, handing them to Gaeul.

“You too, Gaeul. Put this on.”

“M-Me too?”

“You escaped from Prometheus, remember? You don’t want them to recognize you.”

“Oh, right… Thank you.”

Gaeul fumbled with the cloak and mask, putting them on. Kang Jisoo, who had been watching the crowd outside with sharp eyes, pointed ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) with her thumb.

“Ready? Let’s go. Watch yourselves. I see people in white robes out there—looks like some of those Prometheus cult freaks have shown up too.”

Gaeul swallowed nervously. Kang Jisoo opened the door with a playful grin.

“You don’t doubt us, right? There are so many Rankers here. You think we can’t protect one person?”

“I-I trust you!”

“Good! Let’s go!”

The door swung open, and a wave of warm, stale air rushed in. The noise of the crowd intensified. Voices complaining, people praying under their breath, others trembling as they spoke. The civilians were being guided toward the shelter by the guild members. Before Uijae could ask what was going on, Kang Jisoo started speaking while fixing her messy hair.

“Guilds above a certain size are required to have a shelter built into their buildings. Monsters don’t care if it’s a school, hospital, or government office—they’ll attack it. Hunter guild shelters are the safest places to be.”

“Oh, right.”

“Of course, we’re limited in how many we can take in. We prioritize the elderly, children, and residents around the guild building. We check their IDs to confirm. Hey! How full is it?”

“It’s about a fifth full! Still got plenty of space!”

“Maybe people don’t know it’s a full-on emergency yet. Keep monitoring and update the vice leader.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

And then—

A small scream echoed through the crowd.

Simultaneously, the Hunters reached for their weapons, eyes scanning the source of the noise. No monster presence. Then what was it?

A path formed as the crowd parted. Something small, white, and feathered ran through the gap. The first to recognize it was Uijae.

“Kkoko?”

“Kkoook! Kkoko!”

Kkoko flapped its wings and rushed at Uijae. He caught it mid-air to prevent it from crashing into his chest. The little bird struggled, its wings and legs flailing wildly.

“Kkooook! Kkooook!”

“Whoa, calm down…! Hey! Kkoko! Calm down!”

“Kkoooooooook!”

Its beady black eyes welled up with tears.

‘Is… is it crying?’

Kkoko’s tears dripped onto Uijae’s cloak, soaking it through. Holding the trembling bird, Uijae felt a vibration in his pocket. It was a call. He pressed the call button without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?”

―J, it’s Jeong Bin. I noticed you weren’t responding in the Ranker chat, so I called. Where are you right now?

“I’m at Pado Guild. Gaeul is with me too. What’s going on?”

―Gaeul too? Then…

Jeong Bin’s voice wavered.

―We can’t reach Hong Yesung.

“What?”

Uijae looked down at Kkoko. It was still crying, its tears wetting his sleeve.

―I wanted to ask for his opinion about what happened… but he’s not answering. The Hunters stationed outside his residence tried to enter, but the talisman didn’t respond.

“But Hong Yesung always changes the entrance method without notice—”

―No. He can’t. It’s part of his contract. Has there been any sign of a problem with the space where Gaeul was staying?

The crumbling classroom flashed through Uijae’s mind. The ceiling collapsing, revealing that void.

“If Hong Yesung was compromised… then that would explain why the classroom started falling apart.”

―…Looks like our worst-case scenario was right.

“……”

―Something must have happened to Hong Yesung.

Jeong Bin’s voice was heavy. Uijae looked down at Kkoko again. It was unharmed, but the bottom of its three-toed feet—

They were stained red.

“Kkoko, your feet…”

At that moment—

Boom…

A chilling sensation ran down Uijae’s spine.

A fear that the soul remembered.

One by one, people lifted their heads to the sky. Those in line for the shelter, the Hunters guiding them, Baewon Woo checking his tablet.

Everyone.

And Uijae as well.

There, in the gray sky, a black circle had appeared. Or rather, it had returned. It had always been there.

Uijae couldn’t take his eyes off it. The ashen wind tousled his hair. His silver and gray strands scattered in the wind. His fingertips trembled. His heart pounded furiously.

Uijae realized what it was.

You thought you diverted the end’s gaze?

No. That was mere human arrogance.

That thing had been there since the monsters first appeared. Since the system was born. Since the world began to unravel.

The black circle slowly turned white from the bottom up.

Like an eye opening.

Until it was completely white. The swirling white orb twitched slightly, moving left, right, up, down.

The eye had opened. It had been watching all along.

Since the moment Lee Sa-young let go of the ruined world.

“……”

Uijae swallowed dryly. His instincts screamed.

That’s it.

That’s my prey.

The one I failed to kill twice!

Kill it!

Their gazes met. Not a feeling, but a certainty.

The white eye curved, crescent-shaped.

As if taunting him.