The distorted city trembled beneath the Executor's power.
Black system patterns spread across the streets like infection, climbing broken walls, consuming fragments of ruined buildings as if the dungeon itself was responding to the corrupted authority pouring from the monster's body.
The pressure changed instantly.
This was no longer a B-Rank threat.
It was something worse.
Something unstable.
---
[ Entity: Fallen Executor ]
[ Status: Corruption Release ]
[ Threat Level: Recalibrating… ]
---
"…Move!" Suho shouted.
---
The Executor vanished.
---
Not speed.
Not movement.
---
Space displacement.
---
Sera reacted instantly, throwing herself sideways just as the black blade tore through the spot she had occupied. The impact shattered the street behind her, dark energy spreading outward in jagged lines.
---
[ Skill Activation: Resonance Field ]
---
The air stabilized slightly around Suho.
---
[ Modifier Efficiency: +31% ]
---
But even with the enhancement—
The pressure remained overwhelming.
---
"…This thing's adapting," Sera said sharply as she regained footing.
---
"Yes."
---
Suho stepped forward again.
---
[ Skill Activation: Modifier — Output Increased ]
---
The space around the Executor compressed violently, invisible force tightening from every direction.
For a moment—
The monster stopped.
---
Then—
It broke through.
---
The system around its body glitched violently, fragments of black code-like structures ripping apart the restraint.
---
"…authority… denied…"
---
Suho's eyes narrowed.
---
It wasn't using skills.
It was responding instinctively.
Like the system itself had become part of its body.
---
Above the battlefield—
Someone watched.
---
Far beyond the visible structures of the distorted city, standing atop a collapsed tower untouched by the corruption spreading below, the Boundary Walker observed the fight in silence.
No interference.
No movement.
Only observation.
---
[ Hunter: ??? ]
[ Rank: S ]
[ Title: Boundary Walker ]
[ Status: Observation Mode ]
---
"…He sees it now," he murmured quietly.
---
The Executor lunged again.
Suho intercepted directly this time, Modifier activating at maximum precision as he redirected the angle of the incoming strike.
The black blade scraped past him—
Close enough for the system interference to ripple across his skin like static.
---
[ Warning ]
[ Foreign Authority Contact Detected ]
---
Suho countered immediately.
---
[ Skill Activation: Modifier — Compression Shift ]
---
The space around the Executor twisted sharply.
One arm bent unnaturally under the pressure—
But instead of breaking—
The system repaired it instantly.
---
Sera's eyes widened. "…Regeneration?!"
---
"No."
---
Suho's gaze sharpened.
---
"…Correction."
---
The system was repairing structural damage automatically.
Not healing.
Restoring.
---
"…Exactly like the trials," the Boundary Walker muttered from above.
---
Because that—
Was the difference.
---
The Executor was no longer controlling its own power.
The system was controlling it instead.
---
The corrupted hunter's body twitched violently as fragments of distorted notifications flickered around it.
---
[ Alignment Failure ]
[ Synchronization Lost ]
[ Authority Override Active ]
---
Then—
It attacked again.
---
Faster.
---
This time Suho barely reacted in time, the black blade cutting across his shoulder before Modifier redirected the rest of the impact away.
Blood hit the ground.
---
Sera's expression tightened instantly. "Suho!"
---
"I'm fine."
---
But the system reacted immediately.
---
[ External Corruption Detected ]
[ Purging… ]
---
The wound closed faster than normal.
Too fast.
---
The Boundary Walker noticed.
---
"…There it is," he said quietly.
---
Not the healing.
The response speed.
---
The system was prioritizing Suho.
Protecting him.
---
That alone—
Was dangerous.
---
Below, the Executor suddenly stopped moving.
Not because it wanted to.
Because something inside it—
Was failing.
---
Its body convulsed violently as corrupted system patterns spread across its armor, black fragments breaking apart into floating particles.
Then—
For a brief second—
Its voice changed.
---
Human.
---
"…help…"
---
Sera froze.
"…What?"
---
The Executor's head twitched upward slightly.
Its empty eyes flickering.
---
"…don't… cross…"
---
The system reacted violently.
---
[ Correction Protocol Activated ]
---
The corrupted patterns exploded outward again.
The human voice disappeared instantly.
---
"…authority… must… continue…"
---
Then—
The berserk state activated.
---
The entire battlefield shook.
Buildings collapsed outward as black system energy erupted around the Executor like a storm.
---
[ Entity Status: Berserk Mode ]
[ Threat Level: A-Rank Equivalent ]
---
Sera's face paled slightly. "…That jump is insane."
---
Suho stared at the monster silently.
Not afraid.
Not shocked.
---
Understanding.
---
Because now he knew.
---
This wasn't just a failed hunter.
This was someone the system had consumed completely.
---
The Boundary Walker closed his eyes briefly.
---
"…You remembered enough to warn him," he murmured quietly.
---
A trace of regret crossed his expression.
Small.
Almost invisible.
---
"…That means there's still humanity left in you."
---
Below, the Executor roared.
Not like a monster.
Not like an animal.
---
Like something trapped.
---
Then it charged.
---
This time—
The entire distorted city responded with it.
System structures erupted across the battlefield, black patterns spreading in every direction as if the dungeon itself had entered synchronization with the corrupted unit.
---
[ Territory Authority: Expanded ]
---
Sera activated Resonance Field again immediately.
---
[ Modifier Efficiency: +38% ]
---
But even then—
The pressure kept rising.
---
Suho exhaled slowly.
---
"…So this is what waits at the end," he thought.
---
Not death.
Not failure.
---
Consumption.
---
The Executor appeared directly in front of him.
Faster than before.
Stronger.
More unstable.
---
Their attacks collided again.
The impact shattered the ground beneath them completely.
---
For a split second—
Suho saw it.
---
A reflection.
---
Not physical.
Not visual.
---
Possibility.
---
Himself.
Standing in the same corrupted armor.
Eyes empty.
Controlled by something beyond his own will.
---
The image vanished instantly.
But the feeling remained.
---
Above them, the Boundary Walker opened his eyes again.
---
"…Good," he said quietly.
---
Because Suho finally understood the real danger.
Not losing a battle.
---
Losing himself.
---
And that realization—
Was necessary.