Not far from the scene, Demonic Crow observed from the high branches of a tree.
As an Existential Monster, his eyes were not bound by the limits of mortal creatures.
He saw everything.
At least, the details of every movement, every muscle tension in Evan's body as he applied a lethal chokehold, every last breath of the Knight trapped in that pit.
Demonic Crow did not blink. He observed with deep fascination.
Nothing could escape his sight.
He watched Evan, who was once just an ordinary human subjected to the Church's experiments, until he finally followed the dark whispers in his heart.
How he was forced to stare into the eyes of his prey, to study the expressions of death that unfolded before him.
How he fully immersed himself in the hunting experience with complete awareness.
"Beautiful."
Demonic Crow grinned.
A simple killing, yet one with an artistic touch rarely found among mere mortals.
Perfect control, no wasted movement, a quiet embrace of death seeping further into Evan's being.
"Oh, Aphotic… you are truly a masterpiece in constant evolution. I can't wait to see your next work."
Demonic Crow let out a chuckle, his voice trembling like an unheard whisper.
And with anticipation, he would continue to watch—the young sprouts not yet fully grown.
In his eyes, the reflections of Magnus, Selene, Evan, and many others flickered within his blood-red gaze.
He couldn't wait to see how far they would grow.
***
"This was easier than I expected."
I mean, it's not like I underestimated that Knight. The trap played a big role in the process, from the mental shock to the massive stone that crushed his body.
"But hey, I managed to kill him, didn't I?"
This wasn't exactly an achievement worth celebrating. Who even celebrates their first kill? I don't want to be a psychopath.
It's a little difficult to apply the concept of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" if it means I'll have to kill more people in this world.
But let's be realistic. I guess life and death aren't that significant here. It would be ridiculous for me to play the hero of justice, fighting for what I believe is right, only to end up dying because of that so-called justice.
"..."
Focus.
Your journey is far from over, Evan.
"Hmm…"
So, the total loot I got from this hunt includes:
- A cloak (important).
- Weapons (a longsword, a dagger, and poison needles).
- Potions?
- A full light armor set, slightly damaged.
"But… didn't he carry any food?"
Probably because their camp is nearby, so he didn't need to bring any supplies.
I'm feeling a little hungry, so my next step is to see if I can steal their provisions.
Evan examined the light armor he looted and found that it would fit him well.
The next step was stripping the enemy's equipment.
It would be much easier if I had a system that could do this for me…
This armor consists of lightweight chest, shoulder, arm, and leg protection, likely designed for high mobility without sacrificing defense.
Evan started with the chest piece.
He loosened the leather straps at the shoulders to release the torso guard. Then, the chest plate was lifted upward, producing a faint metallic scraping sound. The backplate was exposed, and Evan noticed that the inner lining was made of a lightweight fabric. He touched it and estimated that it was likely linen or wool.
Next were the arm guards and gloves.
Evan noticed a small buckle at the elbow, and when unfastened, the forearm guard could be pulled off. He also removed the leather gloves, which had steel reinforcements on the backhand.
Lastly, the leg guards and light steel boots.
He unfastened the straps at the thighs, causing the leg guards to fall loose. With some effort, Evan also removed the steel boots. He observed that the boots were quite narrow—probably too tight for his slightly larger feet, but upon noticing that the soles were padded with rubber to muffle footsteps, he reconsidered.
Evan began putting on the armor.
He secured the inner fabric first before attaching the chest piece.
As he tightened the straps to adjust the fit to his body, he caught a faint reflection of himself in the blade of the fallen sword.
His skin was pale.
Paler than he remembered.
His brown eyes stared back at him, slightly dimmed beneath the moon's shadow.
His hair was long, unkempt, never properly groomed since the first day he arrived in this world.
He paused, observing his reflection. For some reason, something felt off.
Not because of the new armor, but himself.
This isn't the time for self-reflection, Evan.
He fastened the arm guards and gloves, feeling the balance between weight and flexibility.
Finally, he secured the leg guards and steel boots, tightening them firmly to prevent any interference with movement.
Evan rolled his shoulders, testing the limits of his mobility in the armor.
'It's lighter than I expected. This armor seems designed for espionage and infiltration, not open warfare.'
Then, Evan picked up the longsword from the ground and sheathed it at his belt.
Without a word, he donned the black cloak previously worn by the Knight and climbed out of the hole.
Swoosh—
Outside, the cold wind greeted his pale skin with a biting chill.
"Welcome back, Aphotic."
And a warm welcome from a six-eyed crow.
But seeing him again allowed Evan to relax slightly.
"Yes, thank you for the welcome."
Sensing Evan's sincerity, Demonic Crow raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? What is this? Are you touched by my greeting?"
"..."
I don't know.
"How much time has passed, Demonic Crow?"
Now that I think about it, this is strange. Ever since I transmigrated from Earth, I haven't seen the sun rise. I mean, I'm sure I've been in this world for hours, maybe even days, yet why hasn't the sun risen?
"You mean this Zone? This Zone will never see the sun for all eternity. There will only be night until the very end of the river of time."
Demonic Crow perched on Evan's head again.
"Hah… This Zone?"
What now? So you're saying each 'Zone' has its own solar system? No, more like its own set of world laws?
Demonic Crow tilted his wing and replied.
"Yes, every Zone in this world has its own unique rules and laws. For example, in this Zone, there is a rule stating that 'no mindless living beings are allowed to exist within it.' Or, in more extreme cases, there are Zones where the passage of time differs drastically between the inner world and the stable Zones outside."
Now, Demonic Crow pecked his head rather firmly.
"So… in short, this world is fragmented into various Zones?"
What kind of logic is this? How could this happen?
"Simply put, yes. No one knows why this came to be."
His sharp talons gripped tightly against Evan's head, its red eyes gazing into the distance with a mysterious look.
"But there is a certain rumor..."
The Demonic Crow spoke in a cryptic tone, making Evan swallow hard.
"The rumor is that 'The God is dead.' And He left this world in a fragmented state."
"...!"