Chapter 9: The Eyes of a Calamity (4)

"You never said it'd hurt this much, you bastards."

Sayoon bit down on his lips, his trembling hand moving to cover his eye. The pain was unbearable, so intense he couldn't even speak. His throat muscles clenched tight, as if blocking both his airway and esophagus.

The bleeding was severe enough to require pressure. His bloodshot eyes watered as he pressed down, thick crimson liquid dripping down his wrist.

Plop.

A red streak splattered onto his pale skin before falling to the floor. At the same time, a searing pain, as if his mucous membranes were burning, surged through him.

It felt like someone was jabbing a red-hot iron rod into his pupil, then scraping away at the inside of his eye. The agony was worse than anything he'd ever endured—worse than the month he'd spent being tortured without food or sleep, all under the system's orders.

His toes trembled violently. The pain that wracked his body surpassed every torment he'd ever known.

"Haaahk!"

Sayoon gasped and clawed at his own eye. He wanted to gouge out the source of the pain, to tear it away if he could. He thrashed on the bed, his feet kicking and scraping at the helpless sheets.

Curses rose to the tip of his tongue, but the pain stifled them. All that escaped was a whimper before he bit down hard on his lips. Even the moans that threatened to spill out were swallowed back, until his lips finally split open.

He thought the pain might lessen if it spread, but the agony in his eye was so overwhelming he didn't even feel his lips tear.

With his remaining hand, he crumpled the white sheets before jerking his leg violently. He knew lashing out wouldn't make the pain disappear, but he had to express it somehow.

Finally, choked, ragged moans burst free. The moment his pained cries filled the room, black snakes that had been resting slithered out, climbing onto the bed. Normally, he would've petted them—they were worried about him—but right now, he had no energy to spare.

Hiss! Hiss!

"Ghk—!"

Tears welled up involuntarily. Even though it was just a physiological reaction, the snakes panicked at the sight of moisture in his eyes, twisting their bodies and hissing frantically. As they coiled around him, Sayoon gritted his teeth.

The excruciating, horrific pain only subsided after what felt like an eternity.

"Haah..."

A weary breath escaped his parched lips.

I thought I was going to lose my mind.

No exaggeration,literally.

The pain had reached his brain, making coherent thought impossible. For a moment, he was sure he'd end up intellectually disabled.

Exhausted, he collapsed onto the bed. The snakes nudged him, begging for attention, but he could only stare blankly. When he turned his head, he saw the sheets stained red. His right eye was soaked in blood, making it hard to even open properly.

Logically, shouldn't a person die after losing this much blood?

And from his eye, no less. It made no sense. His body was just another plaything for the system's whims. Weakly, he stared at the ceiling before lifting a trembling hand.

He wiped away the sweat-drenched hair clinging to his forehead and closed his eyes, too tired to keep them open. The only sound was the snakes' affectionate hissing—until a familiar ding chimed in his ear.

Right. I still have to check the results.

No matter how much it hurt, this was a small price to pay for the power to resist the system that had trapped him for so long. Forcing his heavy eyelids open, he focused ahead.

A blue screen hovered in the air.

[Calamity's Eye synchronization: 50% complete! Remaining synchronization will resume in 10 minutes.]

[You may now choose to cancel synchronization. Note: Canceling will not refund spent Karma.]

The cheerful blue window displayed words he didn't want to believe.

"..."

Too drained to speak, it felt like the system had stolen his voice. His right hand, still trembling slightly, rose to his face.

It was covered in blood, grotesque. His left hand, at least, was still clean. He let out a hollow laugh as he stared at the ceiling.

"Ha. Haha. Hahahaha..."

A bitter chuckle escaped him.

"Yeah, like you'd just hand it over after I gathered enough Karma."

How many times had the system screwed him over?

But once he obtained the Genius's Eye, he'd finally meet the conditions for Rebellion Activation. Then, he'd break free from this damned system for good.

"You bastards."

Gritting his teeth, he selected [Continue Synchronization]. If there was only half left, he'd already endured the worst. Giving up now would make him the real fool.

[Synchronization will resume in 30 seconds. Please beware of the pain.]

As always, the obnoxious message made his blood boil.

18, 17, 16...

Counting down, he sat up at the 10-second mark. The moment the timer hit zero, lightning-like agony struck again.

No amount of prior experience could prepare him for this. He thrashed on the bed, writhing in pain.

The snakes, who had just begun to relax, panicked and scurried around as his moans filled the room. If Jongshik had been outside, he would've burst in, frantic with worry.

One snake, unable to do anything but flick its tail in distress, suddenly slithered out of the room. Not that Sayoon had the energy to notice.

The pain was so overwhelming, violence surged through him. One unlucky snake got too close and took a wild kick to the face, yet it still wagged its tail happily. Scowling, Sayoon locked his hands behind his back, enduring the torment.

"Ngh—!"

Suppressed groans escaped a few times. The pain stabbed into his eye, battering his mind until he was on the verge of passing out. Only then did it finally begin to fade.

Clutching onto sheer spite, Sayoon forced his limp body up and staggered to the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror looked like something out of a horror movie.

His face was deathly pale, sweat drenching his body. The white robe he wore was stained red in places, like a murder scene.

Haven't looked this pathetic in a while.

Letting out a tired breath, he turned on the faucet.

He scrubbed his hands and washed his face repeatedly, the blood stubborn even after several tries. When he finally looked up, the blue system window he'd suffered so much for appeared before him.

[Calamity's Eye synchronization complete! Skill activation may cause minor discomfort. Please use with caution.]

The description wasn't exactly reassuring, but seeing Genius's Eye now listed in his skills filled him with exhilaration. The pain was almost worth forgetting.

Because finally—a path had opened.

'The One Who Defies Fate.'

And.

'The Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth.'

He just had to find one of them. Then he could say goodbye to this damned system for good.

The thought alone made him hum, a dark smile curling on his lips. He draped the towel over his neck and stepped out of the bathroom—

BANG BANG BANG BANG!

The moment he exited, violent knocking shook the door, as if someone was trying to break it down. Frowning, he walked over and opened it.

"Hyung-nim!"

The second the door unlocked, a massive man barreled inside. Sayoon grimaced and shoved his face away as he nearly tackled him in concern.

"What? How'd you get here?"

"Hyung-nim! Are you okay?! Your clothes Huh?! Why is the room No, why are the sheets ?!"

Jongshik's panic shifted from his bloodied state to the destroyed room and crimson-stained sheets. He looked like he might faint. Unsure if he was worried about him or the furniture, Sayoon snorted and flicked his forehead.

Snap.

His round eyes blinked at him in shock.

"I asked how you got here."

"Ah, this little guy"

Hiss! Hiss!

Looking down, he saw the viper wagging its tail proudly. It must've gone to fetch Jongshik when he was in pain.

Patting its head in praise, he ignored Jongshik's pout.

"I ran all the way from the gate, you know..."

"It went to the gate?"

"No, it was a crow. This one must've asked the crow for help."

Even more impressive. When had they gotten so smart? The snake hissed happily as he praised it, earning it a trip to the snack stash.

"Hyung-nim, what about me—"

"Yeah, yeah, change the sheets while you're here."

"..."

"Got a problem?"

"...Who said I did? But seriously, what happened to your clothes? Did you get attacked?"

About time you asked.

Rolling his eyes, he tossed the bloodied robe at him. He was still wearing underwear, but Jongshik shrieked and covered his eyes.

"Stop stripping like you're shedding clothes all the time!"

"What's the big deal? It's not like I'm naked, and we're both guys. Anyway, Jongshik. I need to find someone."

"Someone?"

"Well, one of two people, to be exact."

"Huh?"

His vague explanation left him blinking in confusion, still clutching the robe. Unbothered, he grabbed a shirt from the closet and slipped it on, smirking.

"Where are you hiding, my pretty little things?"

He'd never even seen their faces, but he'd already nicknamed them. If he ever met them, he'd treat them well, so a cute nickname was fine, right?

Just let me find one of them.

He had no name, no age, no face—but he was already excited, as if he'd met them. Humming an old tune, he brushed past a bewildered Jongshik and headed to the window.

It was like searching for a needle in a desert, but he felt like he could do it.

He'd realize just how absurd that thought was—three months later.