Chapter 8: The Predator’s Confession

[I’m definitely watching you get wrecked today!]

A viewer who got a notification for the stream immediately joined, grinning only to freeze a moment later.

[Why are there so many people?]

Yesterday, the stream barely had triple-digit viewers. But in just one day, the number had exploded.

<Viewers: 1,157>

Seeing over a thousand viewers was enough to leave anyone stunned.

[How did this happen?]

[Did they go around showing their face and promoting the stream?]

[If they did, there’d be even more people.]

[No, that’s not it. A big-time streamer gave them free publicity.]

[You guys know Holy Knight, right?]

[He played the Divine Sword Route and credited this person as the original discoverer.]

As explanations rolled in, those unaware of the situation quickly caught on.

[Wait, you really discovered a new route?!]

[World-first!]

[Is this the place Holy Knight mentioned?]

[Holy crap, they’re gorgeous!]

[I came for the gameplay, but this is a feast for my eyes.]

<LuckyMan has donated 12,000 KRW>

[Your face is seriously amazing.]

[Silver hair and insanely pale skin.]

[They look so fragile, like they’d fall over if you poked them. So cute.]

<TokTokTok has donated 6,000 KRW>

[They’re not even wearing makeup, but they look incredible!]

[Better than any Korean female streamer I’ve seen.]

<HoWol has donated 20,000 KRW>

[Instant subscribe!]

<BlackBear has donated 100,000 KRW>

New viewers, drawn in by the advertisement, were met with an unexpected visual treat and couldn’t stop praising them.

With a big-time streamer like Holy Knight giving free exposure, it was no surprise that the audience had surged.

And with an appearance like this, keeping those numbers up wouldn’t be a problem either.

With this momentum, the only way was up something every streamer dreams of.

But…

[Why aren’t they saying anything?]

[They’re getting showered with donations, but there’s no reaction?]

Seyul remained silent.

Of course, they had no idea they were even streaming in the first place.

‘Am I getting addicted to this game?’

Seyul returned to the spot where they had logged out the previous night and let out a wry smile.

They had planned to log in just for a quick session after eating, but the game had lingered in their mind all day.

The thought of stopping early had completely vanished, and before they knew it, they had nearly clicked Start on impulse.

‘Maybe it’s because I miss the other world? This game keeps pulling me in.’

Marvelling at how deeply God’s Warrior had captivated them, Seyul began walking

Continuing along the path they had started the day before.

[Hey, are you even reading chat?]

[Say something!]

[At least greet us it’s basic manners!]

Viewers bombarded the chat with complaints, but Seyul paid no attention and kept walking.

Not running, not rushing just walking at a steady, determined pace.

Moving forward in a straight line, completely unfazed.

And then

<The Land of the Fallen!>

Right as Seyul stepped into a new area, a perfectly timed narration played.

<Monsters rule by strength alone!>

<But not all monsters are strong.>

<Those who fail in competition and fall into corruption gather in this land.>

<Hence, it is called the Land of the Fallen.>

<But make no mistake fallen or not, a monster is still a monster.>

<Can you survive among countless beasts?>

<Especially now, as an unprecedented anomaly unfolds!>

The Land of the Fallen.

Simply put, it was the first high-difficulty hunting ground in the game.

The monsters here were all classified as fallen beings weaker than regular ones, but still monsters nonetheless.

Compared to other beginner zones, it was far more dangerous.

However, the risk came with equally enticing rewards.

Seyul ignored all of this and just kept walking.

Players who started on Extreme Difficulty usually followed a set path

They would first visit an NPC mentor, receive their skills, and then head straight here to hunt.

For experienced players, this was a familiar location.

[Unprecedented anomaly?]

[What does that mean?]

That final phrase caught everyone off guard.

The Land of the Fallen was designed as a beginner hunting ground.

If anything went wrong here, it could block further progression.

This area had always remained unchanged so why was there suddenly an anomaly?

[Why does this place feel so eerie?]

[It’s creeping me out.]

Prompted by the chat, viewers finally took a closer look around

And froze.

The atmosphere had shifted so drastically it felt like an entirely different genre.

The place was empty.

The Land of the Fallen was supposed to be teeming with monsters.

There should have been beasts lurking everywhere yet not a single one was in sight.

All that remained were scattered clothes and belongings.

Had their original owners simply dropped them?

Articles of clothing and equipment littered the ground, as if abandoned in a hurry.

Something had definitely happened here.

Viewers unfamiliar with the game were intrigued.

Those who knew the game assumed it was a newly triggered event and were thrilled.

[Wow, first a new route discovery, and now a hidden event?]

[But why is this guy just walking past it?]

However

The person who should be experiencing this event firsthand… wasn’t interested.

‘Something happened, and now the game wants me to fix it. That’s all this is.’

Having no prior knowledge of the game, Seyul assumed this was just another generic quest.

Determined to stop getting caught up in the story, he ignored it entirely.

[Uh, what?]

[Hey!]

[Are you seriously not going to check it out?]

[Don’t just leave do the event!]

[Aren’t you even a little curious?]

[Stop! Don’t go!]

[Just play the damn game properly!]

[You lunatic!]

[If you’re gonna ignore the game, why are you even playing?!]

[EVENT! EVENT!]

[FOR THE LOVE OF JUST LISTEN TO US!]

As Seyul continued on, the chat exploded with frustration.

With more viewers came more complaints

But none of them mattered to him.

His footsteps never faltered.

Until

“Are you not even a little curious about what happened here?”

As if voicing the will of the viewers, someone appeared and blocked his path.

A figure resembling a hybrid of wolf and human.

A werewolf.

While there were exceptions, werewolves were generally considered low-ranking monsters.

A single werewolf stood before him, holding a spear.

Seyul frowned.

“Not really.”

“Hah, of course… Wait, what? You’re not curious?”

The werewolf’s face twisted in shock.

“You just saw an entire settlement vanish, leaving only their clothes behind

And you seriously don’t care?!”

“Yeah.”

“Th-That’s a problem…”

“It’s your problem. Now move. I’m trying to walk here.”

“Wait a second!”

Seyul attempted to continue forward.

The werewolf desperately tried to stop him.

The absurdity of the situation left viewers utterly bewildered.

[Wait… isn’t that Gerard?]

Especially those who recognized the werewolf’s identity.

Gerard.

The only neutral NPC in the Land of the Fallen, a place otherwise inhabited solely by monsters.

Despite being a beast, he idolized the ancient human heroes of legend.

A warrior who once roamed the continent with nothing but a single spear.

Inspired by those stories, Gerard trained in spear techniques

Which ultimately led to his exile.

Viewed as an outcast by other monsters, he was banished to this forsaken land.

Because of that, he was unusually friendly toward human players.

Players who start on “Extreme Difficulty” typically begin elsewhere.

The usual approach was to receive skills from an NPC mentor and then come here to hunt.

For those familiar with the game, this place was nothing new.

[An unprecedented anomaly?]

[What are they talking about?]

But that last message was something entirely unheard of.

The Land of the Fallen served as a beginner hunting ground.

If something went wrong here, it could block further progress in the game.

That’s why this place had never changed—until now. An anomaly?

[Why does this place feel so weird?]

[It’s eerie.]

At those ominous words, the viewers, who had been slow to notice, finally looked around—and froze.

The atmosphere had changed so drastically that it felt like a different genre altogether.

There was no one here.

The Land of the Fallen was supposed to be swarming with monsters.

There should have been creatures all over the place, yet none were in sight.

The only things left behind were clothes and belongings.

Had their owners simply dropped them?

Clothing and objects were scattered all over the ground.

Something had clearly happened.

Viewers unfamiliar with the game were intrigued, while those who knew it assumed this was a new event and got excited.

[Wow, you discovered a new route, and now you’re uncovering a new event?!]

[But why is he just walking away?]

However

The person expected to experience this new event in their place showed no interest.

‘Something must have happened, and now I’m supposed to deal with it.’

Seyul, who had no knowledge of the game, thought this was just another part of the story.

Determined not to get caught up in the narrative, he ignored it.

[Huh? What are you doing?]

[Hey!]

[Aren’t you going to check out the event?]

[Don’t just leave! Try it out!]

[Aren’t you even a little curious?]

[Stop! Stop!]

[Come on, just play the game properly!]

[Are you out of your mind?!]

[Why are you even playing if you’re going to ignore everything?!]

[EVENT! EVENT!]

[Aaaargh! Listen to us!]

[Damn it.]

As Seyul walked away without hesitation, the chat erupted in frustration.

With more viewers watching, the flood of complaints only grew.

But since none of it reached Seyul, he didn’t stop walking.

And then

“Aren’t you even a little curious about what happened here?”

As if representing the will of the viewers, someone appeared and blocked his path.

A figure with the features of both a wolf and a human.

A werewolf typically considered a low-ranking monster, though exceptions existed.

A single werewolf wielding a spear appeared and stood in Seyul’s way, making him frown.

“Not really.”

“Heh, I figured. But if you were curious, I could wait, what? You’re not curious?”

The werewolf, who had expected a different reaction, looked baffled.

“All the creatures who lived here disappeared, leaving only their clothes behind. That’s a crazy sight! And you’re not even a little interested?!”

“Nope.”

“T-That’s a problem.”

“It’s your problem, not mine. Move aside. I have somewhere to be.”

“Wait a second!”

Seyul tried to walk past, but the werewolf desperately blocked his way.

The ridiculous scene left the viewers bewildered.

[Wait, isn’t that Gerard?]

Especially those who recognized the werewolf.

Gerard the only neutral NPC in the Land of the Fallen, a place otherwise filled with monsters.

Despite being a monster himself, he idolized the ancient human heroes from legends.

Dreaming of becoming like them, he trained tirelessly in spear techniques.

That obsession made him an outcast among his kind, ultimately getting him banished to the Land of the Fallen.

Because of that, he was unusually friendly toward human players.

He had a good personality and even helped with hunting in the area, making him a fairly popular NPC.

So for anyone who had played the game, recognizing him should’ve been easy.

The reason for their momentary confusion was simple.

The usually goofy character now stood before them, covered head to toe in dried blood.

“Will you listen to me?”

Seyul, looking at the blood-soaked Gerard, only showed annoyance.

He was about to refuse but hesitated, sensing something, and reluctantly agreed.

“Fine. Go ahead.”

“T-Thank you!”

Normally, the player would be the one pressing Gerard for information.

Yet now, Gerard was the one pleading to be heard.

Finding the situation absurd, he still didn’t waste the opportunity.

“My name is Gerard. Until recently, I lived here with the other monsters.”

As Gerard started talking, Seyul only half-listened.

But the viewers, who had been dying of curiosity, held their breath and focused.

“The creatures here were mostly weak or had issues outcasts like me. ”

“Because of that, most of them had rough personalities. If they had seen you, a human, they would’ve tried to kill you on the

spot. Still, life wasn’t too bad…”

“Skip the useless details and get to the point.”

“…You’re really impatient. Fine, I’ll get straight to it.

One day, a man appeared in the Land of the Fallen.”

Gerard explained.

A man had suddenly shown up.

He gathered the monsters and made them an offer.

“Don’t you want to escape this miserable existence? I shall bestow upon you a gift a technique that allows you to absorb the power of those you kill and make it your own.”

The technique he taught was highly suspicious.

But the monsters were desperate.

A skill that let them grow stronger by absorbing their enemies’ strength.

With that, they thought they could finally escape their fate as outcasts.

So they all learned the technique—

And started killing each other.

A brutal slaughter unfolded as they sacrificed their own kind for power.

At first, Gerard was disgusted by it and refused to participate.

But once those who had grown stronger started targeting him, he had no choice.

Forced to defend himself, he too learned the technique and fought back.

“In the end, I was the only one left.”

His years of relentless training, driven by his admiration for human heroes, had paid off.

His exceptional spear skills allowed him to become the last one standing.

“I had no choice but to use the technique, absorbing the strength of those I killed. ”

“And you know what’s strange? Their bodies vanished the moment I absorbed them. That’s why there’s nothing

left here but clothes.”

As Gerard finished his story

The chat was flooded with shock and horror.

[What the hell?!]

[I swear I’ve heard of this skill before!]

[This is insane!]

[Wait, isn’t this…?]

[It’s Drain!]

[Yeah, it’s Drain! No doubt about it!]

The chat erupted with mentions of “Drain.”

Drain a skill that absorbs both the power and the corpses of defeated monsters to strengthen the user.

It was one of the most useful skills available on “Extreme Difficulty.”

[Wait a second.]

[Did that man who taught them Drain… was he the Goblin Mentor?]

Normally, the one who taught Drain was an NPC the player was supposed to meet.

A goblin known as the “Goblin Mentor,” named for his friendly demeanor.

Players would learn Drain from him, then hunt in the Land of the Fallen while using it.

This allowed them to grow stronger at double the usual rate, making it easier to face future bosses.

That was the standard progression route.

[Then why did the monsters learn it instead?]

It was baffling that the creatures had learned a player’s skill and used it against each other.

[It had to be the Goblin Mentor.]

[But why would he teach monsters instead of players?]

[What the hell is going on?!]

[Did this happen because Seyul took a different route?]

[He was supposed to meet the mentor, but he didn’t, so the monsters did instead?]

[That explains the disaster…]

[Shh!]

[We don’t even know if it was really the Goblin Mentor yet!]

[Gerard is still talking. Just listen!]

The viewers held their breath, eager to hear the rest.

“The identity of that man is…”

Gerard was just about to reveal the mystery, seemingly eager to meet the viewers’ expectations—

“Enough.”

But Seyul shut him up, refusing to listen.

[…Hey]

[What]

[WTF!]

[Oh, dear god!]

[May the heavens punish this woman!]

[Did you really have to do that?!]

[Why don’t you want to hear it?!!!!]

[You’re such a damn tease]

[Stop toying with us!]

[Did you forget about viewer service?!]

[ Shiba]

The viewers lost their minds over being cut off at the most critical moment.

But this time, Seyul hadn’t stopped him for no reason.

“You. Didn’t you hear me?”

Silver hair. Snow-white skin.

A beauty as pristine as freshly fallen snow, yet surrounded by an icy chill.

Like the Queen of Frost, Seyul exuded an imposing presence as she pressured him.

“I told you to get to the point. This sob story isn’t what you were supposed to be saying, is it?”

“…You caught on?”

“Of course, I did.”

Seyul had survived countless hellish situations in this world.

One-on-one duels.

Stealth missions in dangerous dungeons.

Even large-scale wars she had been through it all.

Her instincts, honed by experience, screamed at her.

The man standing before her was harboring murderous intent.

“See, here’s the thing. If you’d never used that method, fine. ”

“But once someone gives in to a trick like that, quitting midway isn’t really an option, is it?”

“Ahh, well, you’ve got a point. What a shame. I wanted to lull you in with a plot twist before devouring you.”

Devour.

Gerard, having casually said something so monstrous, grinned.

“You’re right. At first, I felt uneasy about it. But before I knew it”

I had succumbed.

Completely.

Now, there’s no one left here but me.

I was starving for so long, and then you appeared.

A fellow spear-user, and one that looks absolutely delicious.

His muttering was punctuated by a flash of sharp fangs between his lips.

“Since you wanted me to get to the point, I will.

Die by my hands this instant

And surrender your strength to me.”