As the saying goes, every coin has two sides, and this truth applies to nearly everything in life. Opposites exist in nature, in human behavior, and in society itself. Fire and water stand as eternal rivals, just as light contrasts with darkness, and prosperity coexists with poverty.
For every act of kindness, there is cruelty. For every moment of peace, there is unrest. Some believe that the world is filled with brightness, yet they fail to acknowledge the lurking shadows. Crime festers in these shadows—terrorism, murder, kidnappings, and theft plague the world, tainting the ideal of a peaceful society.
While the establishment of the Hunter Management Association has curbed some of these criminal activities, true eradication remains a mere dream. No matter how much progress is made, the darkness will never fully disappear.
One such embodiment of this darkness was a notorious bandit gang that had recently looted the estate of a corrupt high-ranking official. The act itself might have seemed like poetic justice—stealing from the corrupt—but bandits were no heroes. They were criminals, driven not by righteousness but by greed.
Tonight, however, they would face judgment.
And Ren would be the one to deliver it.
Ren walked alone through the silent streets, his footsteps echoing against the cobblestone roads. The city had long since settled into slumber, leaving behind an eerie quiet that wrapped around him like a familiar cloak.
Most people would have reported the bandits' hideout to the authorities, perhaps even received a reward for their information. But Ren had no intention of taking the easy route.
Because within that hideout was something he desired—a forbidden sword technique.
Phantom Edge.
In the game, this technique had belonged to him. But instead of claiming it through battle, he had been forced to purchase it at an absurdly high price in an underground auction. And the reason for that?
A certain woman.
The Golden Viper, a cunning businesswoman known for her ability to manipulate markets, had been present at the auction. She had engaged in a bidding war with him out of sheer amusement, forcing him to pay double the original price.
Even now, the memory made his jaw tighten.
In the game, she had obstructed his progress countless times, ruining his plans for her own benefit. Though Ren no longer held any personal grudge against her—it had all been a scripted event, after all—he couldn't deny the lingering frustration within him.
"Doesn't matter," he muttered to himself. "This time, I'll take what's mine."
The cool night air brushed against his face as he continued walking. A strange sense of nostalgia crept over him.
Back in his previous life, he had often walked home alone at night after work. While others had laughed and chatted with friends, their voices filling the streets with warmth, he had walked in solitude, accompanied only by the sound of his own footsteps.
Even now, in this new world, he found himself alone in the quiet of the night.
But this time, the loneliness didn't weigh as heavily on him.
This time, he had a purpose.
Deep within the forest, a group of bandits sat huddled around a crackling campfire near a small cave. The moonlight filtered through the thick canopy above, casting eerie shadows across their faces.
They drank and laughed, boasting about their recent raid and the treasures they had stolen.
"Boss, we really hit the jackpot this time," one of the younger bandits said eagerly. "We don't even need to raid villages anymore!"
The leader of the group, a grizzled man with a deep scar running across his cheek, smirked. His golden teeth glinted in the firelight.
"Just wait," he said. "Once we auction off these goods, we'll buy some high-grade elixirs. With that power, we'll have our pick of women in the city. No one will dare stand in our way!"
The bandits erupted into laughter, raising their bottles in a toast to their so-called bright future.
Then—
TAP.
A small, round object dropped into the center of their circle.
The bandits froze, their eyes locking onto it.
"What the hell is that?" one of them muttered.
Then—
BOOM!
The explosion tore through their gathering.
Flames and smoke consumed the area, swallowing their laughter in an instant. The blast sent bodies flying, some lifeless before they even hit the ground. Others were left writhing in agony, clutching at their wounds and screaming in pain.
One of the surviving bandits crawled toward their leader, his face twisted in terror.
"Boss… help… me…" he choked out.
The leader, dazed but still standing, gritted his teeth. He scanned the area, searching for the attacker.
"Who the fuck—"
A sharp crack echoed through the night.
A bullet tore through his skull, cutting off his words mid-sentence. His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Then came another gunshot.
And another.
BANG.
THUD.
BANG.
THUD.
The remaining bandits fell one by one, unable to react, unable to fight back. The element of surprise had sealed their fate.
When the gunfire finally ceased, silence reclaimed the forest.
A lone figure emerged from the shadows.
Ren stepped into the firelight, his hood falling back to reveal his face. His expression was unreadable as he surveyed the scene.
"That was easy," he murmured, lowering his firearm.
The mana grenade had done most of the work. The survivors hadn't stood a chance once the ambush began.
As he walked through the corpses, he felt a strange detachment. In countless novels, protagonists would often recoil at their first kill, struggling with guilt and nausea. But he felt none of that.
Just a slight discomfort.
'Maybe it's because of my personality,' he mused. 'Cold and introverted? Or is it the memories from my past life? The system's mental stability trait?'
[Host is correct.]
The system's voice chimed in his mind, confirming his thoughts.
[Congratulations, Host, for eliminating the bandit gang.]
[Reward: Skills – Stealth and Silent Strike.]
Ren smirked.
Now, it was time to claim what was rightfully his.
And this time, no one would take it from him.