The temple shook violently, shards of stone raining down around him.
Jinwoo's lungs burned. His muscles screamed. Pain throbbed in every bone. Every instinct in him told him to run… yet he couldn't. Not now. Not when the altar and the statue loomed over him like a god of death itself.
The massive stone idol raised its sword, crimson eyes blazing with intent. A low hum filled the chamber, vibrating through Jinwoo's chest like a drum of war.
This is it.
He clenched his teeth, gripping the broken blade he had scavenged from the floor. Every step he had taken, every life he had failed to save — it all converged in this moment.
> [Emergency Quest Activated.]
Objective: Survive.
Reward: Player Status, Full Access to System Functions.
The words floated in front of him like a lifeline.
Jinwoo's vision narrowed. The memories of the original Sung Jinwoo surged again — the double dungeon, the statue, the slaughter, the moment he had first awakened. He could see the exact attack pattern, the timing, the way the statue's strikes paused briefly before killing.
I remember everything. I know what to do.
The first swing came — a colossal stone blade crashing down toward him. He dove sideways, rolling across the marble, barely avoiding death.
Another strike — faster, closer. He ducked under it, his shoulder scraping the stone floor. Pain shot through him, but he pushed forward.
He barely had time to breathe.
Then, instinct and memory combined. He raised his arms, gripping the broken sword, and lunged at the statue's ankles, aiming not to kill — he couldn't — but to buy time, force it into a brief pause.
The ground shook violently as the sword struck stone. Sparks flew. The statue's eyes flashed crimson, then blue — a flicker of hesitation.
It worked…
Jinwoo's chest heaved. Sweat, blood, and dust coated him, but inside, his heart blazed. This is the start. I can survive. I will survive.
Another wave of crushing strikes followed, but he remembered the timing, the spacing. He moved as if the dance of death was written in his bones.
And then — the light.
The System's voice echoed in his mind, deep, mechanical, undeniable:
> "Host confirmed. Player status achieved. Welcome, Sung Jinwoo."
The chamber seemed to still. The statue paused mid-strike, its eyes dimming slightly as if acknowledging the new presence.
Jinwoo fell to his knees, gasping, blood streaming down his face. But there was no fear in his eyes. Only the burning certainty of someone who had faced death.
He looked toward the remains of the hunters. Most were gone, crushed or petrified. The temple's golden light reflected off the pools of blood, but his gaze went beyond them.
The world become blurry.
Soon his vision blurred and he felt unconscious.
....
A faint beeping, antiseptic scent, and the sterile white of walls greeted his senses. Jinwoo's eyes fluttered open slowly, every blink revealing more of the unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting, surroundings.
He was lying on a hospital bed. Tubes ran from his arms to machines, and a faint warmth hummed in the room. Sunlight streamed through a window, glinting off the polished floor.
I… survived?
Memories of the temple, the crushing statues, and the blood-soaked chamber came rushing back. He could still feel the heat of stone and the echo of screams in his ears. And yet, here he was — alive.
"Sir… you're awake."
A soft female voice made him turn his head. A nurse stood by the bedside, concern in her eyes. She looked younger than she should, but Jinwoo didn't have time to dwell on that.
He tried to move, but a dull ache shot through every muscle. His entire body screamed in protest.
Of course… I was nearly killed.
He exhaled slowly, feeling a strange, unfamiliar calm beneath the pain. Something within him pulsed — subtle, yet undeniable.
A faint blue shimmer appear before his eyes.
Jinwoo flexed his fingers towards them and his hand pass through it
Seeing this a small smile tugged at his lips.
This is it. The system.
The nurse noticed and stepped closer. "You had a severe concussion… but your vitals are stable. Don't try to get up just yet."
He nodded, though his mind was already racing. Every memory of the dungeon, of the statues, pressed on him like a weight.
And then — a thought struck him: Ju-Hee.
He tried to sit up slightly, wincing as pain radiated across his chest and arms. "Ju-Hee… did she…?" he whispered.
The nurse's eyes flickered, but she said nothing. Jinwoo didn't need her answer. He could remember clearly — she had listened, she had left the gate, and she had survived. She was alive.
Relief washed over him, almost stronger than the pain. One life had been spared — a small victory in the sea of death.
Then he closed his eyes briefly, letting the sun's warmth touch his face.
Now… it begins. I have to get stronger. I have to level up. I have to survive.
Somewhere deep inside, a faint voice — calm, mechanical voice — echoed through his mind:
[Player Status: Active]
Level: 1
Inventory: Empty
Skills: None Yet
Jinwoo opened his eyes again, sharper this time, determination blazing like fire.
This body… this life… it's mine to forge.
He lay back in the bed, muscles aching, but his heart steady. The world outside the hospital window was unaware of the storm that was about to awaken.