"[I'll do whatever it takes to make you grow, no matter the cost. I won't lose to those damn gods…]"

At that moment, several footsteps echoed in the gloom, and three figures emerged from portals.

Their silhouettes were cloaked in darkness; only their outlines could barely be distinguished.

"So that was the boy… so he's the one you gave the mark to?" asked the first, with an old man's voice, slowly adjusting the brim of his hat.

"I've been listening since the beginning. That brat… I'd love to destroy him." spat another, with a youthful and arrogant voice, fists clenched in an impulsive gesture.

"It's clear you didn't tell them the whole truth, Yeomna. But what I'm truly curious about is… why did you give the mark to someone so inexperienced in the system?" inquired the third, with a deep adult voice, narrowing his eyes.

"[Don't underestimate him, he's not a normal boy. And as for why I gave him the mark… I can't tell you. You'll have to wait.]"

Yeomna's voice echoed like a dense rumble, briefly silencing the murmur of the still-open portals.

"Damn it. Yeomna, I still can't believe you gave him that damned mark." the teenager burst out, stretching out his hand and clenching it in rage, as if strangling the air.

"Hah. You're the least suited of the three of us to receive it, and yet you're the only one angry." the adult replied mockingly, tilting his head.

"Well, well… please, let's calm down." said the eldest, letting out a sigh as he calmly adjusted his black hat again.

"[Gapryong. What are you all doing here? Weren't you fighting other users?]"

"Yes… we came because we wanted to see the new boy with our own eyes. But he left just as we arrived. Besides, there's another reason… the third God, Dangun, expressed his wish to speak with you. He didn't tell us the time, only asked that you set aside space for that meeting."

Gapryong's voice was grave, but his eyes shone with a hint of intrigue.

At that instant, the card representing Yeomna stirred as if it had come to life and, in a moment, transformed into a human figure made of darkness. The air grew heavier at the mention of that name.

"[Dangun… I see. So it was him.]"

murmured Yeomna, bringing his hand to his chin, his black eyes stabbing like daggers into his administrators.

"Well, I'm out of here. I'm not wasting any more time here." said the teenager with annoyance, waving his hand mockingly at everyone before disappearing into a shadow portal.

"Tsk! That brat… he doesn't know what it means to respect his superiors." growled the adult, running a hand across his neck; a bead of sweat slowly slid down his temple.

"[Didn't Dangun tell you anything else? It's not like him to be so cryptic.]"

asked Yeomna, his grave tone filling the room with suspicion.

"Yes… I thought the same thing." answered Gapryong, furrowing his brow. "We were at the 'User Coliseum,' fighting, when suddenly he appeared without warning. He told us that… but his expression was different, like he was excited… more than ever before."

The adult clicked his tongue, tapping the ground with the tip of his foot.

"Tch. I hate it when he acts like that. When Dangun stays quiet, it always means he's plotting something big."

Gapryong slightly tilted his head, pressing down the brim of his black hat.

"Whatever it is, we can't anticipate it. His will is impossible for us to decipher."

Meanwhile, Yeomna remained silent, his fingers still brushing his chin. His eyes, like pits of shadow, didn't stray from the void. Dangun's name had left a crack of tension that none dared to fill with more words.

"[Dangun and I have never gotten along. We're too close in the ranks: he in third place, me in fourth. Rivalry disguised as courtesy.]"

His shadowy eyes narrowed, as if searching through distant memories.

"[But…]"

Suddenly, something flashed in his mind, like a revealing spark. The image of Klaus taking Suhyeon's body crossed fleetingly before him.

Yeomna clenched his teeth, the shadow of his jaw tightening.

"[Could it be…? Was it him? Was Dangun the one who sent Klaus into Suhyeon's body?]"

The idea left him motionless, chin resting on his hand, as if trying to decipher a hidden move on a board only the gods could see.

"[If that's true… then everything takes on a new meaning.]"

The adult broke the silence, tilting his head slightly.

"I think it's time we left… We can't neglect the User Coliseum."

Gapryong nodded, adjusting his black suit with a slow, respectful gesture toward Yeomna.

"Indeed. Thank you for receiving us, even if our visit was brief. We'll return to take our place at the Coliseum."

Both stepped back. With a slight bow to Yeomna, their figures began to fade into the glow of the portals.

In a matter of seconds, the room was empty. Only Yeomna's dark silhouette remained, motionless, his mind burning with suspicion.

"[Dangun… what are you really plotting?]"

The darkness closed in around him, swallowing every corner, until only his eyes glowed in the void.

Some time later.

Yeomna was smiling in the emptiness, a twisted, almost childish smile, as if savoring a cruel game.

"[Suhyeon, I warned you. I'd do whatever it took to make you stronger. The process doesn't matter… the only thing that counts is the final result.]"

His voice echoed in the darkness, each word dripping like poison.

In front of him, Suhyeon stood still, eyes open and glassy, body rigid as if shackled from within. His suit was stained, splattered with fresh blood that still dripped in thick drops, sliding down the fabric until they vanished on the ground.

Then, something lightly struck the floor. A round, heavy object. The head rolled slowly, leaving a wet trail with each turn, until it stopped right at Suhyeon's feet. His pupils trembled when he recognized the features, frozen in an expression of eternal horror.

A shiver crawled up his spine. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. His body wouldn't obey. He felt his muscles tense, petrified, as if trapped in a nightmare where even breathing was a borrowed act.

"No… no… no…" the thoughts crashed in his mind, repeated, desperate, multiplying until they burst in his temples. "NOOOOO!!!"

But his lips didn't move. His mouth remained sealed, mute, as if an invisible force had sewn it shut. Only a trembling tear escaped his eye and slid down his cheek, shining in the gloom like a shard of broken crystal.

"Why…? Why…? Why?!!!"

The echo of his own thought thundered inside his skull, emptier each time, until all that remained was that strangled lament, devoured by Yeomna's low, distant laughter.