From Today, I'm a Player

The excitement in Lee Jun-Kyeong’s eyes gradually faded.

Instead of a monster, he had killed a Hunter.

Lee Jun-Kyeong had made his choice, not to take the path of tolerance but the path of an overlord. No, the path of the Devil. Furthermore, beyond that lay another path. It was the only way he could change the world. That was the conclusion he had reached.

The world wouldn’t change that easily. Moreover, he had neither the brains nor the strategic ability to change the world without resorting to force or violence. Lee Jun-Kyeong knew that both his knowledge and skills alone weren’t enough to do things like monopolizing the Authorities or sweeping out wealth.

‘All I can do is…’

All he could do was hunt monsters and become stronger using the book and the information he knew from the future as the foundation. He would strive to change it all with his strength, placing the burden of sin on his back alone.

‘As long as I can change the future I lived in…’

He would bear it no matter the stigma or sin. He had resolved to do that after returning to the past.

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> supports your choice.]

It was a path that would be traveled by stepping over the backs of others, one passing through countless rivers of blood, traversing on a path built of flesh.

‘I don’t have any intention of accepting this sort of support.’

Just as he had that thought, something happened.

[A Skull That Contains Souls has absorbed the soul of the Hero.]

Finally, the useless Familiar he had been given, began to vibrate.

'Damn.'

His initial hunch about the method to activate it was right. It wasn’t that it needed the soul of a monster. Instead, it required the soul of a strong person. Basically, someone who had become a hero or was about to become a hero through repeated growth was the perfect seed.

There would be no further surprises if that was all to it, since he had expected that much. However, a little while later, Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn’t help but be astonished. It was absolutely unbelievable, and it was something that even he, who had come from the future, had never seen before. It was something that wasn’t even written in the Demon King’s book.

The impossible had happened.

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> is…]

Thump! Thump!

The sound of an anxious heartbeat rang out, and Lee Jun-Kyeong waited for the voice to finish speaking while he listened to the heartbeat.

[<The Ruler of the Riverside> has been recorded in the Apocalypse.]

Thud! Thud!

[All sponsorships given by <The Ruler of the Riverside> will be terminated.]

It was ridiculous.

He sputtered, “What th…”

That wasn’t even the end of it.

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> smiles at you.]

"…"

Stunned, Lee Jun-Kyeong was dumbfounded for a moment, standing there with trembling eyes

‘Did a Sponsor just perish…?’

Moreover, he couldn’t understand what reason his Sponsor, <The Sky of the Apocalypse>, had for its actions. It was widely believed that Sponsors could never die and that sponsorships for the Incarnations wouldn’t end unless the Hunters died. It was the truth. This was something unheard of anywhere.

“When the Incarnation died… the Sponsors would die as well…?” Lee Jun-Kyeong said as he stared at the stomach lining of the burning river worm. He shook his head. He didn’t have time to dwell on the matter.

-Keugahh!

The river worm would die soon, and the fight was still ongoing.

Shiver.

Lee Jun-Kyeong looked over at the beautiful sword lying on the spot where Choi Yeong-Seong had died. The device had been used to control the river worm, but it was useless at this point as the river worm was on its deathbed. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong slowly approached it, intending to pick it up.

Just as Lee Jun-Kyeong was about to place his hand around the sword that was gifted by that person, something occurred.

Shing!

Black light began to emanate from the sword. Lee Jun-Kyeong watched without panicking. The light from the sword wasn’t something that could ever hurt him. Instead, it was a side effect that occurred when the sword was returning to its original form.

[Kyaak!]

Suddenly, the sword vanished. Instead, a blue and black crow was haughtily looking at Lee Jun-Kyeong while it strolled around the burning space. After briefly staring down at him, it muttered in human speech.

[I'll watch you for a little longer. What you’ve said is interesting.]

Crackle.

After it spoke, a black portal appeared, tearing through space. The crow threw itself into the portal and disappeared. Lee Jun-Kyeong didn’t attempt to suppress or catch it. It would have been futile anyways because he didn't currently have the power to do so. That was one of the powers that person possessed, the All-Seeing Ethereal Eye.

'Huginn.'

Furthermore, Choi Yeong-Seong would have passed on what he had seen and heard anyway as he had become that person’s eyes.

“Make sure you tell your master what you saw and heard,” Lee Jun-Kyeong muttered towards the vanished Huginn. This wasn’t the time for him to be like this. Just then…

[The Boss of the Rhine River Gate.]

[The River Worm is dead.]

The worm had been engulfed by flames that had spread inside of it.

[You have earned the highest contribution.]

[You have acquired the Essence of Water.]

[You have completed ‘The One Who Hunted the River Worm’ achievement.]

[You have completed ‘The One Who Conquered the River’ achievement.]

‘The one who conquered the river?’

That wasn’t the end of the notifications.

[All of the Sponsors who had been observing the space admire your feat.]

[Some Sponsors wish to support you.]

[<The Guardian of the Long Spear> has…]

[<The Symbol of Round Things> is…]

[<The Eternal Flame> is…]

Multi-sponsorship! But then…

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> bares its bloody teeth.]

[The Sponsors have given up on sponsoring you.]

"…Damn it…"

Like always, it ended with the level-up notifications.

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

Following that, the river worm began to topple slowly.

***

The collapsed river worm was charred inside and out, almost like a giant lump of charcoal.

Creak.

Noises began to emerge from within the collapsed lump of charcoal.

Crack!

Finally, someone walked out from the carcass like the heroes who were rumored to have broken open a shell to emerge in the world.

“Hunter Lee!” shouted Jeong In-Chang as he ran towards Lee Jun-Kyeong.

Lee Jun-Kyeong walked out and brushed off his completely scorched and burnt armor.

“...”

He blinked as he stared at the scene in front of him. The other Hunters were silently staring at Jeong In-Chang and the river worm in succession before finally looking at the Northern Army Guild.

‘What about Choi Yong-Su?’

Lee Jun-Kyeong quickly found that person in question. The two most dangerous issues at this gate, the river worm and Choi Yeong-Seong, had been dealt with. However, that didn’t mean that all the dangers had disappeared. He had exhausted his mana and stamina from the fight. Though he had recovered his stamina somewhat through leveling up, he had lost so much health that it barely made a difference.

If, by chance, Choi Yong-Su was still alive, it would not be easy. After all, Choi Yong-Su was also a strong Hunter. If that punk came after him in full health, then he’d be in trouble.

“You don’t have to worry,” said Jeong In-Chang, having shown up before Lee Jun-Kyeong could register it. He had noticed Lee Jun-Kyeong’s anxiety and said while pointing, “Yong-Su has been properly suppressed.”

“...?”

However, there was nothing there. Neither of them were able to hide their flustered reactions.

Jeong In-Chang sputtered, “That doesn’t make sense… I was sure I had suppressed him and tied him up…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong did his best to spot the punk, but as he began to think that he couldn’t find him anywhere, a scream broke his concentration.

“You bastard—!”

As if out of the blue, Lee Jun-Kyeong heard a hoarse voice behind him. It was Choi Yong-Su. Lee Jun-Kyeong quickly turned around with his shield in place in front of him.

Clang!

Choi Yong-Su’s greatsword slammed into the shield.

"Ugh."

Due to his exhausted stamina, his shield arm constantly shook, and as a result, he wasn’t able to completely block the blow. As the shield dropped to the floor, Lee Jun-Kyeong aimed Muspel’s Spear at him.

Choi Yong-Su shrieked, “What the hell do you do to my Hyung?! Everything was ruined because of you punks-! Die-!”

The crazed man’s greatsword had already appeared right above Lee Jun-Kyeong’s head. It was a desperate crisis. At that moment, something incredible occurred.

Squelch.

A beautiful blow from a sword produced a powerful cutting sound.

“...”

“...”

Jeong In-Chang and Lee Jun-Kyeong looked upward in silence.

Thump.

Choi Yong-Su had been in the middle of slashing down his greatsword, but his head fell off first.

Gurgle!

Hot liquid poured out of his decapitated body like a fountain.

“I… guess I didn’t have to make a move…” said Jeong In-Chang bitterly. The shield had fallen off Lee Jun-Kyeong’s left hand, but his hand was now on Choi Yong-Su’s chest. Even if Jeong In-Chang hadn’t killed Choi Yong-Su, it wouldn’t have ended with Lee Jun-Kyeong’s death. The worst outcome would have been avoided.

Thud.

Just like his head, the rest of Choi Yong-Su’s body collapsed onto the ground.

Shaaa.

Something came out of Choi Yong-Su’s body and flowed into Lee Jun-Kyeong’s bracelet.

[A Skull That Contains Souls has absorbed the soul of another Hero.]

It was as if the skull had eaten Choi Yong-Su’s soul. Lee Jun-Kyeong wasn’t able to analyze what had happened or help to comfort Jeong In-Chang because the other man’s eyes were shaking in an indescribable way. Lee Jun-Kyeong, Jeong In-Chang, the surviving Northern Army Guild members and the other Hunters were all stunned by what had happened.

[The gate has been conquered.]

A voice rang out in their mind.

***

The Rhine River Gate was supposed to have been a B-Grade Gate, but in reality, it had become an A-Grade.

Click click click click!

As soon as the gate disappeared, they were met with a baptism of flashes, just as what Lee Jun-Kyeong had expected. When the Hunters covered their faces in response, the camera sounds increased in intensity.

Click click click click!

"Stand back!"

“These are the people who have emerged after raiding the gate!”

"Please refrain from excessive filming!"

The Hunter Association members had finally appeared. Fortunately, the flashes had also finally stopped, allowing them to see again.

“Huh…?”

One of the members reacted in a flustered way, revealing his true feelings about the appearance of the group.

“They aren’t the Northern Army Guild…?” someone whispered.

“Wait, Choi Yeong-Seong isn’t here?”

“Neither is Choi Yong-Su!”

As if they heard something prior to the survivors coming back, the Hunter Association members started shouting like they had been taken aback. After all, most of the Hunters there didn’t have the guild pattern of the striped shield, which they definitely were supposed to have. In addition, there was a man whose face they had never seen before standing in the middle staring back at them.

"What is this?!"

"Take the photo! I’m telling you to take it!"

The reporters had refrained from shooting due to the interference of the Hunter Association staff, but once again began to press the shutter of the camera even more rapidly than they had been They had keenly sensed that something was off. Flashes of light peppered the Hunters.

“Who are you!?”

“What happened inside?”

"What is your identity?"

"Or your name!"

Anyone who was looking at the situation could tell that the man in the middle of everything, with even the surviving Northern Army Guild members standing behind him, was the Hunter who contributed the most to closing the A-Grade Gate, the Rhine River Gate. Moreover, he was a rookie whose name they didn’t know, let alone his face.

‘This is amazing.’

Every journalist's dream was coming true at this moment. While it still would have been a big hit if Choi Yeong-Seong of the Northern Army Guild had returned alive and had a dignified interview with them, it was a more exciting and interesting subject to have a rookie Hunter, whose name and face was unknown, be the one who was responsible for raiding the A-Grade Gate.

A never-ending baptism of camera flashes spilled onto them. It seemed as though the Hunter Association members were equally as perplexed. In the midst of their confusion, where they were confused as to how to proceed, a familiar voice could be heard.

“That man is-!”

“He is the widely rumored Super Rookie who had an Awakening Rank of D!”

"What?!" one journalist yelped.

Another shrieked, "What did you say?"

"Super Rookie?"

The reporters shouted in unison as they quickly turned their cameras toward the source of the voice. It was the man who had revealed Lee Jun-Kyeong’s identity. 𝘣𝘦𝑑𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝑙．𝑐𝑜𝘮

Flash.

“That person is…!”

“It’s the League Guild’s Yeo Seong-Gu!”

“They must know each other!”

It was a tall and attractive bald man.

Yeo Seong-Gu.

1. This literally translates to “The end of <The Ruler of the Riverside> has been acknowledged.” However, because of the entire theme of gods, Eden, Christianity, and the fact that the ?? here is the same ?? in The Sky of the Apocalypse, we are going to continue with the Book of Revelations-esque Apocalypse.

2. This is a reference to Odin, the All-Father and the eye he had sacrificed to gain omniscient knowledge.

3. ’Thought’ in old Norse, one of Odin’s two ravens.

4. The literal sentence is like the heroes said to have broken the egg and be birthed to this ground, but I am not sure what myth it’s referencing.