ParadoxReader

Yoo Jihwan was nothing more than an E-rank hunter—a disposable pawn in a world ruled by the strong. Betrayed and left to die in a dungeon, he thought it was the end.

But death was only the beginning.

In the abyss of darkness, where nothing existed, a cold truth was revealed. He could not escape. He would return—again and again. With every death, the curse grew stronger, and so did he.

As monsters began to fear him and the system itself twisted to accommodate his existence, Jihwan realized one thing:

This world does not reward the weak.

If death would not claim him, then he would carve his name into fate itself.

The E-rank hunter who defied death was no longer just prey.

He was becoming something else.

My New Afterlife System

My New Afterlife System

Jihwan gritted his teeth as he stared at the Rusted Guard blocking his path. The figure stood tall, clad in rusted armor, its hollow eyes burning with a dim red glow. There was no breath, no life—just an oppressive aura of death.

A cold sweat ran down Jihwan's back. Why does it always have to be something related to death? First the mansion, now this thing…

He tightened his grip on the Cursed Dagger, feeling its dark energy pulse faintly in his hand. His eyes flickered to the floating health bar above the guard's head.

Tch. It's sturdier than I thought.

Jihwan took a quick glance at his own status.

His HP was still full, but if that thing landed even one clean hit, he wasn't sure how much damage he'd take.

The moment he shifted his stance, the guard moved, a blur of rusted metal surging toward him.

Jihwan barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as the guard's massive blade slammed into the floor, cracking the stone beneath.

Shit, that thing is fast for its size!

He countered instantly, driving his dagger forward—only for it to scrape against the armor uselessly.

[Attack Failed – No Damage Dealt]

Jihwan leapt back, breathing heavily. A frontal attack won't work. That armor is too tough.

The guard swung again, and this time, the edge of the rusted blade grazed his shoulder.

Jihwan hissed in pain. Damn, that was just a graze? If I take a direct hit, I'm screwed.

Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward, this time activating the skill upon contact. The moment his dagger met the armor, the guard jerked violently, its red eyes flickering.

[Death's Touch Activated – Target is inflicted with Fear for 3 seconds.]

The undead warrior froze, as if seeing something terrifying. Jihwan didn't waste the opening—he twisted his dagger and activated Cursed Edge.

A dark pulse ran through the blade.

The dagger sank deeper, piercing through the armor. The guard trembled, its HP dropping rapidly.

Jihwan's eyes widened. That worked better than expected!

But before he could celebrate, the guard roared, its fear fading as it swung wildly. Jihwan barely ducked, feeling the air shift as the blade whooshed past his head.

One more hit. I just need one more hit!

Jihwan clenched his dagger, activating Cursed Edge again. He dashed forward, sidestepping the sluggish counterattack.

With a final stab to the exposed gap between the armor plates, he twisted the blade deep.

The guard staggered, red eyes flickering wildly before dimming.

[Critical Hit! – 120 Damage Dealt]

[Enemy Defeated – Rusted Guard HP: 0/280]

The Rusted Guard collapsed, its body disintegrating into black mist.

Jihwan let out a breath, his heart still hammering in his chest.

[You have defeated a Rusted Guard.]

[You have obtained: Cursed Rusted Shield.]

Jihwan blinked at the last message. A shield? He stepped forward and picked up the Cursed Rusted Shield, inspecting it.

A trade-off, huh? More defense, but I get slower.

Before he could think further, another notification popped up.

Congratulations! You have leveled up.

A warm energy surged through his body, and he felt himself becoming stronger.

Jihwan took a deep breath, gripping his shield tightly. I survived… but this place won't let me rest.

With his new weapon in hand, he stepped deeper into Death's Mansion.

The real challenge was just beginning.

The Weight of Survival