Chapter 48: The Bounty Below the Blood Sun

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The sky bled.

It wasn't metaphorical — actual blood fell in heavy droplets from above, sizzling when it hit the ground. The world was sun-scorched, painted red, and split by rivers of lava and rust.

> [New World Reached – Verax Infernum]

World Rank: Tier 3 – Level 4

Theme: Demonic Bounty War

Conditions:

– Demonic entities hunt all travelers

– A bounty is placed on all Earth survivors

– Escape Portal: Locked until the Demon King is slain

– Consequences of Death: Permanent. No revival from this world.

Jayce stared up, eyes sunken. "We're walking into hell with a price on our heads."

Elyra wiped her torn cloak. "It's not hell. Hell has structure. This… this is chaos."

Lian didn't respond.

His eyes were locked on the system screen.

> [Target Acquired – Bounty Hunters Deployed]

Enemies Incoming: 4 Elite Units from Tier 4 World

Estimated Power: 10x Above Current Stat Average

Estimated Intent: Capture Alive or Kill for Bonus

"From Tier 4?" Korran growled. "They're throwing gods at us now."

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Hour 1 – Blood Sand Chase

They didn't get time to rest.

The bounty system marked them visibly. Strange sigils glowed on their backs, pulsing like beacons.

A thunderous roar cracked through the sky.

Then came the hunters.

The first was a spear-wielding android with a face made of bronze masks.

The second, a girl with silver hair, laughing while floating on a coffin of blades.

The third, a beast-man with skin like obsidian armor.

And the fourth… a young boy in a suit, reading a book titled "How To Kill Heroes".

Jayce immediately tossed a bomb, but it fizzled mid-air. Anti-system field. They couldn't use items within 10 meters.

Lian shouted. "Scatter! Don't fight head-on!"

Too late.

The android blinked forward, and before they could react, he impaled Korran through the shoulder, pinning him into a rock.

Elyra screamed and cast her most powerful spell — but it reflected back, blinding her in one eye.

Lian activated Revenant Marked, seeing the slight delay in the android's posture — and launched a counterattack.

His cycle had fused with its new form:

> [Cycle of Shadows – Shadow Runner Lv.1]

Speed x3

Can phase through terrain for 5 seconds

Consumes Soul Fragment every use

He used it to phase behind the coffin-girl.

And stabbed her through the back with a weapon he hadn't used until now.

> [New Item – Revenant Fang Blade]

Damage: Pierces spiritual and physical defense

Special: Applies [Decay] – disables regeneration for 10 seconds

The girl laughed even while bleeding.

"You're fun! I hope you scream loud."

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Hour 2 – One Must Fall

They took shelter inside a broken war mech buried in the sand.

Korran was barely conscious. Elyra had lost half her face.

Jayce was quiet, breathing through cracked ribs.

"We can't win," Elyra finally admitted. "We'll get picked off."

"No," Lian said.

"We pick one of them to kill. Even a god bleeds if you stab hard enough."

They voted.

They picked the boy — the weakest-looking.

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Hour 3 – The Trap

They set up a soul-mine field using the last of Elyra's magic.

Jayce, bleeding, played decoy.

It worked.

The boy approached — smiling, humming, dragging a finger through the sand.

Then stepped into the trap.

> [Soul Detonation – Custom Trap Activated]

Core Damage inflicted: 38%

Status Applied: [Instability – Spellcasting Disabled]

The boy's book exploded in flame.

His calm turned into rage.

"You broke my toy," he hissed.

Korran, high on painkillers and madness, tackled him from behind and rammed the Revenant Eye he'd kept hidden into the boy's spine.

It burned his soul from the inside.

The boy screamed — loud enough to crack the earth.

Then disintegrated into ash.

> [Target Eliminated – 1/4]

Bounty Reduced by 25%

Coins Earned: +12,000

Reputation: "Butcher of Contracts" Earned

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But they had no time to celebrate.

Because in the distance…

> A massive shape rose from beneath the blood-sand.

Horned. Cloaked in bone. Eyes like galaxies of fire.

> [World Boss Detected – Demon King Sar'Leth]

Rank: Tier 5

Minimum Requirement to Survive Encounter: Unknown

Condition: You are now locked into combat.

Jayce collapsed.

Elyra whimpered.

Korran spat blood and said, "Well... time to find out if we're legends or corpses."

Lian stood, alone now, at the front of the group.

He stepped forward.

Gripped his blade.

And whispered...

> "If I'm going to die, then I'll carve my name into the bones of gods."

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Chapter End

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