The voice rolled across the ancient ruins.
"Successor..."
The single word carried an authority older than kingdoms.
Older than empires.
Older than memory itself.
Noah stood frozen.
The crimson glow within the statue’s eyes intensified.
Its cracked stone body groaned.
Dust fell from its shoulders.
Tiny fractures spread across its surface.
The Executioner, however...
Stepped back.
Another step.
Then another.
The monster that had hunted Noah without hesitation now stood perfectly still.
Almost...
Respectfully.
Noah frowned.
"So you’re afraid."
The Executioner answered with a furious growl.
Not afraid.
Unable.
It wanted to enter the ruins.
Something wouldn’t let it.
A translucent barrier shimmered around the ancient pillars.
One Noah hadn’t noticed until now.
The System chimed.
[Safe Zone Discovered]
Ancient Sanctuary of the First Successor
Noah blinked.
"A safe zone?"
He almost laughed.
After everything that had happened, the words felt surreal.
Without wasting another second, he stumbled toward the statue.
The barrier rippled as he crossed it.
Immediately...
The pressure crushing his body vanished.
His wounds stopped bleeding.
Not healing.
Just...stabilizing.
He collapsed to one knee.
"Damn..."
His body finally had permission to feel exhausted.
Outside the barrier, the Executioner roared.
It slammed both fists against the invisible wall.
BOOOOM!
The barrier shimmered.
Didn’t even crack.
The monster attacked again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Noah leaned against one of the pillars, catching his breath.
"Looks like you’re not getting in."
The Executioner answered by roaring loud enough to shake the ruins.
Then...
It simply sat down.
Waiting.
"...You’re kidding."
It wasn’t leaving.
It knew Noah eventually would.
The realization made Noah sigh.
"So much for resting forever."
A faint chuckle echoed behind him.
Noah’s entire body tensed.
He spun around.
The statue...
Was moving.
Stone ground against stone as the ancient warrior stepped down from its pedestal.
It was nearly three meters tall.
Its armor was chipped and weathered by countless ages.
A massive crack split its stone chest.
Directly through the broken crown.
The warrior stopped before Noah.
Its crimson eyes studied him.
For a long moment...
Neither spoke.
Finally—
"You are weaker than I expected."
Noah stared.
"...Thanks."
"And slower."
"...You’re really motivating me."
"And you swear too much."
Noah blinked.
"...Seriously?"
The stone warrior tilted its head.
"I have observed humanity for over three thousand years."
A pause.
"You are among the top ten."
Noah couldn’t help it.
A laugh escaped him.
The absurdity of being judged by a three-thousand-year-old statue somehow broke the tension.
The warrior watched him silently.
Then nodded once.
"Good."
"What?"
"You can still laugh."
Its voice became quieter.
"That means Ragnarok has not consumed you."
Noah’s smile disappeared.
"What does that mean?"
The warrior looked toward the forest beyond the barrier.
"The previous Successors..."
It stopped.
Its stone fingers slowly clenched.
"They forgot why they fought."
"They sought power."
"They sought revenge."
"They sought immortality."
"And Ragnarok devoured them all."
Noah frowned.
"So I’m...not the first?"
The warrior’s expression remained unreadable.
"You are the seventh."
Silence.
The words settled heavily in the air.
"The other six..."
"They’re dead."
A chill crawled down Noah’s spine.
Even with Ragnarok’s power...
Even with the System...
They had all died.
The warrior stepped closer.
"So answer me."
Its crimson eyes locked onto Noah’s.
"Why do you seek power?"
Noah opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
The obvious answer came first.
To survive.
But...
Was that really enough?
He thought about his old life.
The truck.
The hospital lights.
The meaningless death.
Then this world.
Three days.
The countdown.
The fear.
The monsters.
He looked up.
"I don’t want to die."
The warrior remained silent.
"But..."
Noah’s voice hardened.
"I also don’t want to spend my life running."
The Executioner roared outside the barrier.
Noah didn’t even look at it.
"I’m tired of being prey."
The ruins fell silent.
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
Then the stone warrior smiled.
It wasn’t a warm smile.
It was the smile of a soldier recognizing another.
"A better answer than the sixth."
The System suddenly rang.
[Hidden Trial Complete]
The First Successor has acknowledged your resolve.
Another screen appeared.
Reward Obtained
Skill Unlocked: Killing Intent
Rank: Rare
Description:
Allows the host to project killing intent, disrupting weaker enemies and enhancing combat focus.
The stone warrior raised one hand.
A small crimson crystal materialized above its palm.
"This..."
It said quietly.
"...is only the beginning."
Noah reached toward the crystal.
The moment his fingers touched it—
The entire sanctuary shook violently.
The Executioner roared.
Not in anger.
In fear.
A deafening crack echoed across the barrier.
The warrior’s expression changed for the first time.
It looked...concerned.
"No..."
Another crack split the sanctuary.
The barrier flickered.
Something was forcing its way inside.
Something much stronger than the Executioner.
The System erupted into crimson warnings.
[WARNING!]
An Apostle of the Devourer has entered Blackthorn Forest.
Estimated Survival Rate: 0.01%
The stone warrior slowly turned toward the forest.
Its hand moved to the hilt of the enormous stone sword resting on its back.
For the first time in three thousand years...
The guardian prepared to fight.