Seojun's eyes fluttered open to a sky bathed in the soft, silver glow of a full moon. His eyes widened, "I'm back?" He looked around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. It appeared he was in the middle of a dense, ancient forest, with trees that looked vibrant and alive. His mind raced as he wondered, 'How many years have passed? This is the first time I've seen live trees in so long.'
[System Notification: You have entered Nerathiel, The Fallen Deity Domain.]
Seojun's heart sank. 'I'm not on Earth?' he thought, his confusion palpable. He glanced at his system hologram.
Seojun gripped his hair, a conflicted smile stretching across his face—one that wasn't filled with joy. "I see," he said quietly.
Turning around, Seojun spotted Huno in his human-sized form, soundly asleep behind him, and Silla, curled up around Seojun's arms in his snake form. He sat down on the ground, leaning against Huno, seeking some semblance of comfort.
Seojun closed his eyes, sinking into deep thought. His mind wandered, and the system hologram flickered to life again.System Hologram
[About your mother, Host…]
Seojun took a deep breath and interrupted, "I don't want to talk about it, System."
System Hologram , [It's just an illusion, Host.]
"No!" Seojun's voice was almost desperate. "How do you think someone was able to help me that night?! Because of me, Mom suffered—"
System Hologram: [Host, your mother begged Kyle, but his butler didn't touch her.]
Seojun frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
[It wasn't Kyle who helped you, Host. Some man saved your mother from that situation, and he's also the one who found you that night.]
Seojun's eyes widened. "That didn't happen?" He smiled, a mix of relief and disbelief on his face. "I'm glad… and what? A man? Wait, is that the man who paid our debts and medical bills?"
[Yes, Host.] Seojun gazed up at the moon, its light casting long shadows in the forest. "When will I be able to go home?"
[After clearing all the areas and defeating the Abyss Lord, Host.]
Frustration etched across his face, Seojun picked up a rock and threw it at a nearby tree. The rock pierced the bark, leaving a gaping hole.
"Why not just transport me directly to the Abyss Lord's domain? I'm already here, so why go through this?"
He approached the tree, placed his palm against the damaged area, and a soft green light emitted from his hand. The hole in the tree vanished, leaving no trace of the damage.
[Even so, Goddess Zyraena has blessed you. If you die, it's the end, Host.]
Before Seojun could say anything, Huno growled softly. Seojun turned to see Huno staring intently into the forest. Sensing something coming, Seojun looked up at the huge trees around them and nodded to Huno.
They jumped up to a large tree branch, and Seojun thought, 'These trees are enormous.'
Huno shrank to his normal dog size and they hid. They soon heard voices coming from the forest.
Seojun's heart raced. 'There are people here? Finally, someone like me!' His excitement quickly faded when he saw what was approaching. 'What the hell are these creatures?'
The creatures gathered in a clearing and began talking.
"Did you hear? The Abyss Calamity is gone," one creature said in a rough voice.
"Gone? That can't be true!" another creature replied. "How could it just disappear?"
"There was a huge explosion. The whole area was destroyed," the first creature explained. "Someone must have taken it down."
"The Abyss Calamity was incredibly powerful," the third creature said.
Huno nodded, listening carefully.
As Seojun listened to the creatures' conversation, he decided to use his appraisal skill.
[Appraisal Activated]
Race: Female Demon(Lesser)
Clan: Bino Demon Clan
Appearance: Malara is a formidable figure, standing at approximately 8 feet tall. She has the body of a human, but her skin is a deep, reddish hue, covered in dark, swirling patterns that seem to shift as she moves. Her limbs are muscular and powerful, ending in clawed hands and feet. Her torso is broad and robust, suggesting immense strength.
Her head is adorned with two large, curved horns that jut out from her forehead, curving back like the horns of a ram. Her eyes glow with an eerie, yellow light, and her mouth is filled with sharp, pointed teeth.
Seojun was watching the demons when he felt something coming from above. Quickly, he activated his stealth skill to stay hidden. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the forest as a huge creature fell from the sky.
Seojun's eyes widened as he saw the enormous beast land on the ground with a massive impact. Dust flew everywhere, and as it settled, Seojun recognized the creature with shock.
[Appraisal Activated]
Name: Great Hellhound
Type: Male Demon (Elite)
Clan: Bino Demon Clan Lord
Bloodlust Frenzy]: Boosts strength and speed when enraged.
[Infernal Roar]: A roar that causes fear and paralysis.
[Devour]: Gains power by consuming others.[Dark Flame]: Breathes a deadly black fire.[Void Step]: Can teleport short distances
The Great Hellhound stood about Ten feet tall with dark, rough scales covering its body. Its huge, leathery wings made it look even more intimidating. Its eyes glowed fiercely, and it seemed to radiate fear.
The three demon women, Malara and her companion, immediately dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.
"Lord Hound," they said in fearful tones.
Seojun recognized this demon as the same one he had seen when he first arrived in the Wyrmfield. It was a powerful and dangerous enemy.
Seojun signaled to Huno to stay quiet and hidden.
Seojun watched from the big tree branch as the Greater Hellhound sniffed the air, its massive nostrils flaring. The demon's eyes scanned the area carefully. It moved behind the three female demons, sniffing around as if searching for something.
The Hellhound growled softly and then spoke, "I smell human."
The three female demons were shocked and confused. Malara, the demon woman who had previously shown fear, spoke up. "That's impossible, Lord Hound. How could a human enter this domain?"
The Hellhound continued to sniff the air and let out a low growl, its powerful presence filling the forest. It continued to scan the surroundings, clearly determined to find the source of the human scent it had detected., its gaze shifting upward. It looked directly at the tree branch where Seojun was hiding.