“…So, other than the fact that the Error Progression went up, we have no idea why my original trait was reactivated?”

It couldn’t be that the trait had simply reactivated just because the Error Progression had increased. That was a process, not a reason. As he pointed this out, Lee Jaehee nodded.

“The Systems probably don’t know either. It happened, quite literally, due to an ‘error.’ In fact, Heavenly Energy can barely read anything about it. If there is anyone who knows the reason… it would be the Balance alone.”

As soon as he mentioned the most supreme being, Jaehee coughed up more blood. The handkerchief was already soaked through, and the red liquid was staining his pale hands. Sa-yoon stared at the man, who was now coughing uncontrollably, with a look of utter disbelief. He was the one who had just received a terminal diagnosis, but from the looks of it, the other man seemed closer to his last breath.

“What, is it your dream to die on the same day as me? You have that much lifespan to spare?”

“I’d like to think I have a bit more than you, Mr. Sa-yoon.”

“Then use it sparingly, you bastard.”

Sa-yoon snatched the handkerchief from Jaehee’s hand. There didn’t seem to be any more information to be gained, so what was the point in keeping the poor man here? He gave him a look that said, that’s enough, and the man, with a faint smile, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The only one not smiling was Geon-joo, who had been as still as a statue since the beginning.

Now how do I deal with this one?

He looked as if he would faint rather than cry if someone so much as touched him. It was a daunting prospect. After a moment of thought, he asked if he was okay, and Geon-joo’s expression turned hollow.

As if he had just heard the most absurd thing.

“Did you just ask if I’m okay? Are you in any position to be saying that?”

“I’m fine, but you’re the one who’s frozen. That’s why I asked.”

“How can you be fine? You could… you could die, hyung. Is this something you can just hear and be fine about?”

“So what, you want me to cry about it? It’s not like I’m going to die right this second. What’s there to worry about?”

“Hyung!”

“Fuck. I have ears, you know. Lower your voice.”

He clamped his hands over his ears as the other man immediately shouted. Geon-joo stared at him, his face looking as if it would crumble at any moment.

“How can you be so calm? This situation… it’s not something to be taken so lightly.”

“…”

“Am I the only one who’s this anxious? Is this also because I’m young?”

I wish that were the case.

Geon-joo, taking on Sa-yoon’s share of the grimness, added softly and covered his face with his hands. Sa-yoon massaged the back of his neck and sighed at the raw, unfiltered display of emotion. The truth was, he was just as frustrated. After having gone so far as to activate ‘The Resistor,’ had he ever imagined that the day would come when he would become an Unknown?

He had died and been revived hundreds of times, but he had never once considered that possibility. So it would be a lie to say he wasn’t shocked.

But what could he do?

When you thought about it, the rise in the Error Progression was also a result of his own choices. The System had played its tricks, but it was his past self who had wished to go back, to start over.

He had no intention of turning a blind eye to that responsibility.

If this was the price of his choice, then he would humbly accept it.

But that didn’t mean he would meekly accept death.

“You’re misunderstanding something. I never said I was just going to give up. We have to find a way. But since we can’t find it right now, we have to at least act calm, don’t we? Freaking out in advance won’t change anything. If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it, pretty boy.”

“…Must be nice. To be able to enjoy it.”

“If you’re jealous, try it yourself. If I’m going to die, it’ll be in the distant future anyway. Why are you already agonizing over it? It’s not helping at all.”

Wallowing in a worry that had no solution was a waste of time. Three people with limited knowledge putting their heads together was less effective than grabbing one all-knowing System and shaking the answer out of it. As he tried to persuade him, Geon-joo, still unable to shake off his bitter feelings, lifted his head.

“Really, nothing ever goes smoothly.”

“If it were easy, would it be life?”

“You deserve for things to be a little easier, hyung.”

The man grumbled and pressed his forehead against Sa-yoon’s shoulder, shaking his head a few times. Sa-yoon, recognizing it as a habit he had when he was feeling down, gently stroked his hair. He mulled over his own words and calmed his racing heart.

Right.

For now, there was no solution.

Just because the True Evil of Humanity trait had been activated didn’t mean the tower he had built so far would crumble. The Resistor trait was still firmly protecting him. That must have been why that notification had popped up before he fainted.

‘Increased probability of death for a close associate.’

He had only seen it for an instant, but the penalty felt like it would be etched in his memory for a lifetime. He had been lucky this time and the quest itself had been deleted, but if the trait collisions continued, one day the True Evil of Humanity quest might be properly assigned. He had to prepare for that day. As he wracked his brain, Sa-yoon re-examined the quest the system had given him and remembered something he had long forgotten.

The Karma Shop.

He had forgotten about it after meeting the God of Wisdom, but now it flashed through his mind. The moment the shop opened, an item had been automatically purchased, and he had met the God of Wisdom, so he had thought the karma was a provision for The Resistor trait. But that wasn’t it. The True Evil of Humanity quest that had just appeared still listed karma as a reward.

Is it a coincidence?

No. There’s no such thing as a perfect coincidence.

Everything is pulled along by cause and effect, so the trait collision and the karma reward for the quest that had appeared at that time couldn’t have been a mere coincidence.

If so, he had to find the answer within it.

Having reached a realization, Sa-yoon opened his status window. He clicked on karma and went to the shop. The items in the Karma Shop, which he had never properly looked at before, were now listed before him.

‘Current Karma: 0’

He had automatically used up all his karma upon meeting the God of Wisdom, so he had none left. A bitter taste filled his mouth, but that wasn’t what was important right now. Sa-yoon scrolled down, scanning the items. Covetable weapons, elixirs, even gate summoning stones. Many things caught his eye, but he pushed down his greed and moved on.

After scrolling a few times, he finally found what seemed to be the most useful item at the very bottom of the shop.

[Trait Change Ticket (L-grade)]

Price: 10,000,000 Karma ‘Change the destiny the world has bestowed upon you.’

• You can delete an existing trait and change to a new one.
• Caution! This item can only be used by those who possess two traits. Those with a single trait cannot use it.
• The Karma Shop is only open to holders of the ‘True Evil of Humanity’ trait. After purchase and use, the Karma Shop will be unavailable.

Found it.

Though it required a staggering ten million karma, there was a way out.

Sa-yoon immediately went to the quest log and checked the list of daily, weekly, and monthly quests. With the reactivation of the True Evil of Humanity, all the frozen quests had been revived.

He checked the quests he could complete without committing acts like murder. There were three quests for ingesting deadly poison and clearing S-rank or higher gates, two for increasing his fame by clearing uncleared gates, and three gate saturation quests. There were also quite a few minor quests. His mind raced. If he completed all the doable daily, weekly, and monthly quests, he could earn about 300,000 karma.

Not even close.

The number was laughable. Sa-yoon clenched his fist. There was nothing that gave as much karma as the Proof quests.

The Proof quests didn’t appear because The Resistor trait was suppressing the True Evil of Humanity trait to some extent. But as a consequence, trait collisions occurred, and the Error Progression was probably still rising, bit by bit.

To earn karma, he had to do the Proof quests.

Ah.

He was at a crossroads.

Sa-yoon bit his lip, deep in thought.

“Hyung. What’s wrong? Did something else pop up?”

Geon-joo, growing anxious at Sa-yoon’s prolonged silence as he stared into space, spoke up. Sa-yoon looked at his still-pale face, then at Jaehee, who was so ashen he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had fainted from anemia, took a breath, and made his decision.

Life was all about high risk, high return, anyway.

He had lived his entire life that way since the system appeared.

Could that way of life change overnight?

Everything could be managed to some extent, as long as he kept his head on straight and maintained his balance.

Having finished his deliberations, Sa-yoon’s hand moved toward the trait section.

The moment his fingertips touched ‘The Resistor.’

’s rethink this!>