Chapter 63: Penalty Zone (1)

"Fuck!"

YuWon tried forcing his way inside, but Anna, the regressor, stood firm. He put all his strength to stop the doors, but it only slowed them. It didn't take long for him to realize he was fighting a losing battle.

But he wasn't going down without a fight. Just as the doors were about to close, YuWon retrieved the sword and threw it inside, aiming for Anna's head.

She dodged it, but the guy behind her wasn't that lucky. The sword got buried in the man's chest and he collapsed on the ground.

Anna's expression turned sour. She looked at YuWon with rage, but stood firm, not letting YuWon board the train. However, as the man collapsed, Gina got free and lunged at Anna.

Yeji didn't stay behind, and Yuna joined them, too. All three of them tried to pull Anna off the door. Unfortunately, they ran out of time, and the train zoomed into a tunnel.

YuWon tried holding on, but an invisible force shoved him aside, and he fell on the platform. Even then, he wasn't worried. Sure he failed this time, but he will respawn and when he does, he would figure out a way to deal with the bitch once and for all.

However, a moment later, all his plans turned sour when a notification appeared before him.

[Trial failed.]

[As punishment, you will now be teleported to the penalty zone.]

[May you rot in hell for all eternity.]

YuWon's heart sank for a second as a strange mist surrounded him.

***

YuWon clutched his head as the mist finally dissipated. He was lying in the middle of the road, and not in the subway station anymore.

A moment later, another notification appeared before his eyes. Only this time, the screen flickered and appeared to be broken.

[Quest: Penalty Zone]

[Task: Kill the Charred Ghoul]

[A ghoul has caught on to your smell.]

"Ghouls? Great... now I'm fighting zombies."

Suddenly, YuWon noticed something from the corner of his eyes and jumped back. What he saw scared him shitless. The creature was covered in blood and decaying flesh, but there was no question about it.

"Jaehwan?"

YuWon asked as the creature stood at the edge of the streetlight's range. The creature looked like Jaehwan, yet it had clear animal-like traits, like long fangs that stuck out of its mouth, similar to a saber-toothed tiger.

The body was covered in blood and ash, with parts of flesh rotting away and falling apart. The ghoul also had claws in place of fingers, which once again were like that of the feline species.

"Even in death you fucker won't leave me alone, huh?" YuWon scoffed as he recognized the two ghouls behind Jaehwan.

Suddenly, all three of them rushed at him. YuWon kicked the nearest ghoul in the chest. Seeing their ally fall, the two remaining ghouls immediately charged ahead, but stopped as YuWon stepped back into the light.

"They hate the light... I could use it to my advantage."

But that was easier said than done. He didn't have any weapons to use, and they would not step into the light. It was a stalemate and a situation YuWon hated the more.

He looked around and noticed a concrete block with a steel rebar sticking out of it, lying a few feet away from the ghouls. It was the only thing he could use as a weapon for now.

Without hesitation, YuWon rushed ahead, leaving the safety of the light. The ghouls swung their claws at him as he rushed past them.

He ducked under one swipe, barely missing the sharp claws, and then rolled out of the way as another ghoul reached to grab him. He reached the concrete block and grabbed the steel rebar sticking out of it.

"Hmph!"

[Title Effect: You killed a monster with that!? has been activated.]

[The awakener will deal bonus damage.]

With a grunt, he lifted the makeshift weapon and swung it with all his strength. The heavy block slammed into the side of the nearest ghoul's head and crushed its skull, killing Jaehwan's lackey again.

"Tsk, you're even weaker in the afterlife," YuWon mumbled, looking at the other two. "Who's next?"