My Afterlife System!

Jihwan leaned back in his chair, staring at the system message.

A rift?

This was the first time the system had given him a quest outside Death's Mansion.

And the reward was unknown.

That meant it could be something valuable—or something deadly.

His fingers hovered over the system window.

He could ignore it. Pretend it wasn't there. But something deep inside whispered to him.

This was an opportunity.

One he couldn't afford to waste.

"I have nothing to lose."

He grabbed his jacket and stepped outside.

The City at Night

The air was colder than usual, the streets quieter than normal.

Jihwan moved through the city, his steps light, his senses sharper than ever.

Since awakening his dark energy, the world had changed.

Sounds were clearer.

The faint presence of other hunters was more noticeable.

Every shadow felt alive.

And right now…

Something was calling him.

It wasn't just the system quest.

The closer he got, the more his blood burned—his dark energy stirring on its own.

Like a predator sensing prey.

He reached an abandoned factory, hidden between half-finished buildings and overgrown lots.

The place was dead. No lights. No movement. Only the wind whispering through broken windows.

But in the center of it all—

A swirling, black rift.

Jihwan stopped.

Even without a system message, he could feel it.

The thing in front of him was wrong.

The air around it twisted unnaturally, rippling like liquid. A deep hum resonated from within, too low for human ears—felt more than heard.

It wasn't just a gateway. It was breathing.

Jihwan's grip tightened on Killer of Darkness.

A Glimpse Beyond

The system hadn't given any warnings.

But that didn't mean it was safe.

He exhaled slowly and activated [ Cursed Watcher ].

[ Cursed Watcher Activated ]

> → Allows the user to sense hidden dangers within a 50-meter radius.

→ Duration: 24 Hours.

His vision shifted.

The world darkened. Colors bled into shadows.

And suddenly—

The rift wasn't empty.

Twisting figures writhed inside, barely visible beyond the veil.

Watching him.

Their forms flickered between existence, their hollow eyes locked onto him.

Jihwan's heartbeat remained steady.

There was no fear.

Only anticipation.

He wasn't the weak hunter from before.

With a final breath, he stepped forward.

And the rift swallowed him whole.

As soon as Jihwan stepped into the rift, a chilling sensation crawled through his bones. It was as if he had plunged into ice-cold water, his breath hitching from the shock. His vision blurred, darkness shifting like liquid before solid ground returned beneath his feet.

He exhaled sharply and lifted his gaze.

The world inside the rift was nothing like Earth. Towering, jagged structures stretched into the sky, pulsating with an eerie blue glow. The cracked ground was covered in ancient symbols that flickered faintly like dying embers. Above, there was no sun. No moon. Only a vast, endless sky swirling with black mist—like a living void.

A system message flickered before him.

[ You have entered the Abyssal Rift. ]

→ This is a fragment of a lost world, consumed by darkness.

→ Escape is only possible through survival.

Jihwan frowned.

"Escape is only possible through survival?"

So this wasn't just a normal dungeon. He was trapped. The air was thick with something unseen—watching, waiting. His fingers curled tighter around Killer of Darkness. There was no turning back. He took his first step forward.

The deeper he walked, the heavier the air became. His dark energy pulsed strangely—both strengthening and weakening at the same time, as if the Abyss itself was trying to consume him. Or was it welcoming him?

A sharp sound.

Jihwan's body moved on instinct. He dodged left just as something tore through the space where he had been standing. A low growl rumbled from the darkness. He turned sharply—

And froze.

It crawled out of the shadows.

[ Abyssal Stalker ]

→ A creature born from the remnants of forgotten worlds.

→ Hunts anything that does not belong.

→ Strength: C+

→ Speed: B

→ Weakness: Light-based attacks.

Its limbs were twisted, unnaturally elongated. Jagged teeth gleamed as it grinned, hollow white eyes locked onto him.

Jihwan exhaled.

"I don't have light-based skills."

Which meant—brute force.

The Abyssal Stalker lunged.

Faster than any monster he had faced before.

Jihwan barely dodged, the wind of its claws grazing his cheek. He countered immediately—[ Silent Throw ]! A dagger of dark energy formed in his hand and shot forward, piercing its shoulder.

But—

The Abyssal Stalker didn't flinch.

Instead, it grinned.

"Damn it."

Jihwan vanished—[ Shadow Walk ] Activated. The darkness swallowed him. The creature froze, confused. Jihwan reappeared behind it and slashed.

Ssschhk!

His blade tore deep into its spine, black blood spraying through the air. The Abyssal Stalker shrieked but didn't collapse. Instead, it twisted unnaturally fast—claws lashing out.

Jihwan barely blocked—

CRACK.

The force sent him flying.

He crashed against the jagged ground, pain flaring in his ribs.

[ HP: 75/100 ]

Jihwan coughed, wiping blood from his lips. Brute force wasn't enough. He had to outthink it.

His gaze flickered to the glowing symbols beneath his feet. A theory formed in his mind. Slowly, he stood and smirked.

"Let's see if you fall for this."

He lowered his stance, deliberately making himself look vulnerable. The Abyssal Stalker's instincts kicked in—it lunged.

Closer.

Just a little more.

The moment it stepped onto the symbols—Jihwan unleashed his dark energy.

The ground flared. Black lightning erupted, binding the creature's limbs. It howled, thrashing violently.

Jihwan didn't waste time. He dashed forward and drove Killer of Darkness straight into its skull.

CRACK!

The creature let out a final, dying shriek—before disintegrating.

[ Abyssal Stalker Defeated! ]

→ EXP Gained: 1,500

→ Level Up! (Level 10 → Level 11)

→ New Skill Acquired: [ Abyss Sense ]

Jihwan let out a slow breath, his muscles aching. That was close. But now—he had a new skill.

[ Abyss Sense ]

→ Allows the user to feel distortions in space and hidden enemies in the Abyss.

→ Grants limited resistance to Abyssal corruption.

His eyes darkened.

"Limited resistance to corruption?"

That meant something even more dangerous lay ahead. And he had just stepped into the real nightmare.

With a deep breath, he continued forward. Stepping deeper into the unknown.