Samuel – Investigating the New World

[Samuel's POV]

The air was thick with an unnatural stillness as I stepped through the ruined cityscape. Ancient buildings, their structures barely holding together, lined the streets. The sky overhead was dim, blanketed by a strange mist that pulsed like it was breathing.

"This place is… wrong," I muttered, adjusting my coat as my boots crunched against the cracked pavement.

The New World.

Or at least, one part of it.

Ever since Henry took the Celestial path, I had chosen to investigate from a different angle. The System's quests had led me here—a city abandoned by time but still filled with whispers of something lurking beneath.

I tapped my communication crystal.

"Sam to command, you reading me?"

Silence.

Then—static.

Followed by a faint voice.

"...Samuel… can't… stay… leave now—"

The line cut out.

I narrowed my eyes. "Damn it."

Something was interfering. I had been trying to keep a connection open, but the deeper I traveled, the worse it got.

"Guess I'm on my own."

I moved forward, keeping my hand on my weapon. The deeper I went into the city, the more I noticed the corruption—walls covered in a strange, black growth, moving like tendrils reaching for something unseen.

Then—

A sound.

A low, guttural growl echoed from an alleyway to my right.

I immediately drew my blade, my stance shifting as I turned toward the noise.

A figure emerged.

Or at least… what used to be one.

A humanoid shape, its flesh rotted and shifting, as if it were struggling to hold itself together. Its eyes—completely black.

"What in the hell…"

It twitched, then lunged.

I moved instantly, sidestepping the attack before slashing across its torso. The blade should have cut clean—but it didn't.

The wound sealed immediately.

"Oh, that's not good."

The creature hissed, then split open—its body twisting into two separate entities, both lunging toward me at once.

Adaptation.

These things could evolve on the spot.

"Shit—!"

I jumped back, raising my hand.

[Infernal Surge]—Activate.

A blast of flame erupted from my palm, consuming both creatures in searing hellfire. Their shrieks pierced the air as they writhed and burned—but even then, their bodies tried to reform.

Tried… but failed.

The fire ate through their core, reducing them to nothing but ash.

I exhaled.

"Okay… looks like fire works."

I scanned the area, making sure there weren't more of them before kneeling down. The ashes left behind were strange—almost crystallized.

I scooped up a small sample, activating my analysis skill.

[Analyzing Foreign Substance…]

[ERROR.]

[Unknown entity detected. Incompatible with all recorded lifeforms.]

I froze.

"Wait… what?"

How the hell was the system unable to recognize this?

Before I could process it further, the ground beneath me shook.

A distant howl—deep, otherworldly—echoed across the ruined city.

I slowly stood, gripping my sword.

"Looks like I just woke something up."

I tapped my communication crystal again.

"Sam to Henry—if you can hear this, we might have a problem."

No response.

Just more static.

I clicked my tongue.

"Alright then…" I muttered, rolling my shoulders. "Guess I'll just have to figure this out myself."

As I moved forward, the air around me grew heavier, the strange mist thickening. Something was watching me. I could feel it.

Then—

----

[SYSTEM ALERT!]

⚠ URGENT WARNING! ⚠

You have entered a Classified Zone – "The Hollow King's Domain."

Threat Level: UNCLASSIFIED

Survivability Rate: 2%

Recommended Action: LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

⚠ WARNING: UNKNOWN ENTITY HAS DETECTED YOUR PRESENCE. PREPARE FOR HOSTILE ENGAGEMENT.

----

I stilled.

"The Hollow King…?"

A low rumble echoed through the city—not from the ground, not from the sky, but from everywhere at once.

Then, another notification.

----

[NEW QUEST UNLOCKED!]

Main Quest: "The Hollow King's Awakening"

Objective: Survive.

Additional Task: Uncover the origins of the Hollow King.

Time Limit: Until death.

----

"Oh, great," I muttered, gripping my sword tighter. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

Before I could even think about retreating, something massive shifted in the mist ahead.

Then—red eyes emerged from the darkness.

Not just one pair.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

A legion of creatures, all staring at me, waiting.

Then, a deep, inhuman voice spoke—

"So… another failure has arrived."

A chill ran down my spine.

This wasn't just some high-level dungeon boss.

This was something else entirely.

And I had just walked straight into its domain.