Katerina’s Despair
(Third-Person POV)
The cold night air hit Katerina's skin the moment she stormed out of the gallery.
Her heels clicked furiously against the pavement, her hands shaking at her sides.
She felt nauseous, her heart pounding violently in her chest.
Henry—No.
Liberty.
Whoever the hell he was now…
He had just stripped her dignity away like no one had ever dared to before.
She had come here expecting a fight.
Expecting anger, resentment—anything.
But instead?
He had treated her like nothing.
Like she wasn't his past.
Like she wasn't his mistake.
Like she was just another nameless woman looking for a man's attention.
And worse?
He had offered her a meaningless fuck—a one-night distraction—as if that's all she was worth.
Her breathing hitched.
She stopped walking, standing in the middle of the empty street, her hands clenched into trembling fists.
"Damn it… Damn it… DAMN IT!!"
She shouted into the empty night, her voice breaking with rage and humiliation.
She had destroyed Oberan for exposing her.
She had cut off everyone who had ever whispered about her mistakes.
She had convinced herself that if she just erased her past sins, Henry would come back.
That he would still be there.
Waiting.
But now—
Now she knew.
Henry Hans was dead.
And Liberty?
Liberty had just humiliated her in a way no one ever had before.
Her fingernails dug into her palms, but she didn't feel the pain.
All she could feel was the gaping void inside her.
Henry—
No, Liberty—had erased her. Completely.
He had done what no man had ever dared to do—
Stripped away her dignity, her power, her identity.
She had spent years building herself into an untouchable goddess in the business world.
She had controlled men, broken them, used them—all while thinking she was above consequences.
But now?
Now, she was the one discarded.
Like nothing.
Her legs felt weak. She staggered toward her car, gripping the door handle tightly to stop herself from collapsing.
For the first time in her life, she had no control.
No power.
No Henry.
Her vision blurred as she stared at her own reflection in the car window.
Who the hell am I now?
She had destroyed Oberan thinking it would bring Henry back.
She had erased every trace of her past lovers to rewrite her story.
But in the end—
Henry didn't care.
He had already erased her first.
A broken laugh escaped her lips, but it wasn't joyful.
It was hollow.
And for the first time, Katerina Maa—the woman who had everything—felt what it was like to have nothing.
And it terrified her.
(Henry's POV)
I sat in my dimly lit studio, the faint scent of paint still lingering in the air.
The art exhibition was over.
Katerina was nothing but a forgotten face.
And now?
It was time to move forward.
I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms before speaking in a calm, commanding tone:
"System, show me my remaining quests."
A familiar blue holographic screen flickered before me.
---
[ACTIVE QUESTS]
1. The Fallen Seraph – Completed. (Reward: Celestial Blink Upgraded.)
2. Hidden Order Investigation – In Progress. (Discover the hidden faction manipulating global conflicts.)
3. Demon Lord's Remnants – In Progress. (Eliminate the remaining high-tier demons hiding among humans.)
4. The Titan's Evolution – Ongoing. (Unlock Stage Three of the Titan Heart.)
5. Project Hades – Locked. (Both players must reach Level 105 to initiate.)
---
I clicked my tongue, skimming over the list.
My level was currently 92.
Samuel had surpassed me at 96.
But Project Hades—the mission we had been planning for months—remained out of reach.
"System, when can Samuel and I plan to shut down Project Hades?"
---
[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
"Project Hades requires both players to be Level 105 or higher. Based on current progression, estimated readiness: 4 to 6 major battles."
"Project Hades will become available once the required conditions are met. Until then, both players must continue leveling up through combat and quest completions."
---
I sighed, rubbing my temple.
So that meant at least four to six more major fights.
No shortcuts. No easy way in.
Fine.
I liked taking the hard road anyway.
I smirked, standing up and grabbing my black leather jacket.
"Alright then. Time to level up."
With that, I stepped out into the cold Oslo night, ready to hunt my next target.
I walked through the quiet streets of Oslo, the cold night air crisp against my skin.
Streetlights cast long shadows, but my mind was focused on only one thing.
Power.
Samuel and I needed to reach Level 105 to finally shut down Project Hades.
And right now?
I was 13 levels away from that goal.
I slid my hands into my jacket pockets, speaking calmly:
"System, locate the closest high-level threat I can eliminate."
A moment later, a blue holographic screen flickered in front of me.
---
[SYSTEM SCAN: THREAT DETECTION]
- Location: Eastern Norway – Isolated Forest Zone
- Enemy Type: High-Rank Fallen Angel – Seraphiel, The Betrayed
- Level: 98
- Danger Level: S-Rank
---
I smirked. "Level 98? Perfect."
Without hesitation, I activated Celestial Blink—
And in an instant, I vanished from Oslo, heading straight toward my next hunt.
Because Project Hades wouldn't wait.
And neither would I.