Chapter 4: The First Contractor (1)

"......"

In the dimly lit basement, Kang Yujin sat leaning against the wall.

His body felt heavy, and his mind was clouded. This was because he was being injected with drugs at regular intervals.

"Ah, ah......"

It had been a long time since he was dragged to the notorious Brightness Sect in the early morning.

During this time, Kang Yujin had been subjected to all kinds of human experiments. In this facility, he was nothing more than a lab animal.

The sect's experimental goal was to create enhanced humans who could wield powers surpassing those of a contractor without a contract with a Throne. To achieve this, Kang Yujin was forced to endure all sorts of painful experiments.

There were many other subjects besides Kang Yujin. But at this point, he was the only one left.

This did not mean that Kang Yujin was a success case. He had merely 'not failed yet.'

The experiments would continue, and his hellish days would go on.

"Um, ma......"

A tear rolled down his cheek.

He could no longer remember the faces of his family.

All that remained in his mind was a faint warmth.

It was this memory of warmth that allowed him to endure this hell.

"Ugh, ugh......"

He had to endure.

He had to endure this hell and survive at all costs.

"Quite a sorry state you're in."

Suddenly, a voice spoke.

He moved his eyes and saw a clown.

This was the first time he had seen this person in the facility. The clown looked both like a boy and a girl.

No matter how he looked, the person did not seem to be part of the sect.

"Nice to meet you. I am Arlequin 49. You can call me 49 for short."

"Ah...?"

"Ah, it seems you have trouble speaking. My apologies."

The clown bowed slightly.

"From what I can see, you are in a very difficult situation. You must be in great distress."

"Ugh......"

"Would you like my help?"

Help?

"Ah, to be precise, it's not me who will help you. It's the great 'Nameless One' I serve. I am merely his agent."

"Wh...?"

"He said that he is the guardian of all those who struggle at the bottom of this world."

The clown placed a hand on his chest and wore an expression of deep emotion.

"He has decided to show mercy and help you."

"Wh...?"

"He will help you get out of here."

Get out of here...?

"Of course, it's only assistance. Even a Throne cannot excessively interfere with human lives without paying a huge price."

"Wh...?"

"Let's start by making a contract with the 'Nameless One' I serve. We'll start from there."

Contract.

Hearing this word, he thought of the phrase 'contract with the devil.'

The appearance of the clown in front of him also reminded him of a devil.

But what did it matter if it was a contract with the devil?

If he could really get out of here, he would sell his soul to the devil...

"Would you like to make the contract? Since you can't speak, just blink your eyes twice quickly to accept the contract."

"Ugh......"

He tried to blink his eyes.

But blinking twice quickly was not easy.

His body was in such a state.

"Try your best. No matter how difficult it is."

The clown's voice echoed.

"Someone who lacks even this much willpower is not worthy of making a contract with him."

"Ugh...!"

Finally, he managed to blink his eyes twice quickly.

"Contract established."

At that moment, characters began to appear in the air.

"Of course, you know what to do, right?"

The clown's voice echoed.

"You need to choose number 5. Blink your eyes five times quickly to select it."

He desperately blinked his eyes five times.

And then.

"......!"

He regained the freedom of his body and mind, which he had lost for years.

"Ugh...!"

He got up.

Pain was felt throughout his body, but it didn't matter.

"Of course, you couldn't move because of the drugs. If they had permanently damaged your central nervous system, it would have been useless."

"Haa, haa......"

"Now that you're moving, alarms are going off everywhere. People will be here soon. What will you do?"

As the clown spoke, characters continued to appear in the air.

* Overview: A modified human who has endured painful human experiments by a malicious religious group for a long time. One day, a fateful moment arrives. The shackles that bound his body and mind suddenly disappeared. He did not miss this opportunity. To gain freedom, a man's desperate escape begins.

* Achievement Conditions: The contractor's escape from the facility.

* Achievement Reward: None.

"There is no achievement reward for this event. But to you, freedom itself will be the greatest reward!"

"Freedom...!"

At that moment, the door burst open.

It was the researchers and guards he often saw.

They were surprised to see the experimental animal, who should have been lying unconscious from the drugs, standing up.

"Ma, tranquilizer gun!"

The researcher urged the guard, who hastily drew his gun.

But it was too late.

"Roar!"

He leaped from the ground and grabbed the wrist of the guard who was drawing his gun.

"Ugh...!"

People were taken aback and stepped back.

But it was too late.

In the next moment, they were all lying on the ground with their necks broken.

"Oh, how scary."

The clown's laughter echoed from behind.

"An enhanced human who has been subjected to human experiments by villains destroying everything and escaping is a classic cliché! I will watch how satisfyingly you proceed!"

The clown continued to chatter, but he no longer paid attention.

Driven by the desire for freedom, he took a step forward.

* * *

'It went as I expected.'

I nodded, watching the scene on the screen.

On the screen, the modified human was advancing, defeating the people of the religious group who were trying to stop him.

His performance was on par with a human weapon in an action movie.

'I knew he was incredibly strong.'

The reason I knew how strong he was.

It was because I had worked as a guard at that facility before.

A D-rank contractor at the bottom couldn't afford to be picky about jobs.

But even while working, I didn't feel good, and in the end, I betrayed the religious group during the facility raid event and joined the raid team.

'I suggested that releasing him would be to our advantage, but no one listened.'

A D-rank contractor at the bottom, who had just betrayed the religious group... No one would adopt the strategy of such a person.

In the end, the raid failed, and everyone retreated without any gains.

'Now, I can finally feel satisfied.'

On the screen, the people trapped in the facility were also escaping.

Now, this facility was as good as destroyed.

'If we had just released him, everything would have gone so smoothly.'

It was a bit of a bitter feeling.

'But...'

I looked at the corner of the screen.

What was being shown was the live event feed from the site.

The screen displayed various information, including the number of Thrones watching this event.

But despite spending 1,000,000 points on advertising for 49, only 5 Thrones were watching the event. One of them was me, so in the end, I only managed to gather 4 Thrones with 1,000,000 points.

And so far, the donations from Thrones were 0 coins.

Donations go to the contractor participating in the event, but I also receive a commission as the event host. To be precise, a conversion fee is charged when converting origin power to coins.

In the end, I had no income.

But I didn't feel like I had lost anything.

'Just making him my first contractor is a profitable deal.'

A monster who single-handedly destroyed a facility that many contractors couldn't bring down together.

Moreover, he had a dramatic background of being a modified human subjected to human experiments by an evil organization.

If I nurture him well, he will become a great prospect who will attract the attention of Thrones.

Of course, that achievement will come back to me as my origin power.

'I don't know how much a Throne can directly intervene with a contractor. It would require a lot of origin power to excessively intervene. Should I discuss it with 49...?'

By the way, 49's handling of the event was quite smooth. He seemed more capable than I expected.

'But I can't fully trust 49. I want to contact other apostles, but how should I do it?'

While thinking about this, I continued to observe the screen.

On-site, my first contractor was engaged in a final battle in front of the facility's main gate.

It was quite a spectacle, but I didn't throw any donations.

I wasn't a spectator watching for entertainment.

Instead, I pressed a button I had been eyeing on the observation screen.

'Win.'

I cheered as I took my hand off the screen.

Wishing that my contractor could escape from the bottom of the world and walk a new path.

* * *

"Take this!"

Kang Yujin was hit by a crossbow bolt in the shoulder and rolled on the ground.

"Ugh, ugh......"

He had escaped the facility building.

But the building was surrounded by a high wall, and the only way out was the main gate.

And on the way to the main gate, the guards, who were supposed to guard the outside, were waiting.

Of course, they were not ordinary guards. They were all contractors with contracts with Thrones and possessed formidable combat power.

I heard that the contractors who had previously raided the facility to rescue people failed to break through these guards.

"Ugh...!"

He charged recklessly.

But the opponents were professionals. They surrounded and concentrated their attacks on Kang Yujin while maintaining appropriate formation.

"You're strong, but you don't know how to fight a contractor!"

"You're just charging like a beast! Keep your distance and take him down!"

"Don't kill him! He's an important experimental animal!"

He was confident that he could break the necks and hearts of anyone he touched, but he couldn't reach them.

His body was covered with large and small wounds.

Although his body was very tough due to the human experiments, he would inevitably collapse from excessive bleeding if this continued.

'Is this the end?'

He felt fear.

It was so desperate to think that he would fail to escape and be dragged back to that basement after finally getting a chance to be free.

"Ugh, ugh......"

Tears came to his eyes. He wanted to curse his fate.

Does a god even exist in this world?

"Ugh...!"

At that moment of despair.

A message appeared before his eyes.

An intense sensation swept through his entire body!

There was no need to confirm what had happened.

He instinctively understood that his body had transcended its limits.

In the next moment, Kang Yujin broke the neck of the nearest guard.

* * *

'His movements have definitely changed. This must be the effect of a grand blessing.'

I stroked my chin, watching my contractor wreak havoc.

Although it consumed a considerable amount of origin power, the effect of the grand blessing was beyond imagination.

'I've never received a grand blessing before.'

The D-rank Throne I contracted with was stingy even with regular blessings.

He probably thought it was a waste to use origin power on someone like me.

'In any case, this will help him break through this crisis.'

While thinking this, I noticed that the number of Thrones watching the event had decreased from 5 to 4.

It was a pity that it was now the climax, but just as I was thinking this.

"Interesting way to play, newcomer."

A cold voice came from behind.

"It's been a while since I've seen such an entertaining video."

I wondered how long he had been there.

A handsome man with a cold expression was looking at me.

He was dressed in a modern European style, and his pale skin made him look like a vampire.

"You are...?"

"Let me introduce myself first."

He smiled elegantly.

"King of the Avenger. That is my Throne name."

Hearing that name, I held my breath.

King of the Avenger.

It was the name of a legendary S-rank Throne.

A legendary figure, worthy of the title 'King,' far beyond the level of a clumsy S-rank like me.

"My true name is Edmond Dantès. But you might know me better as the Count of Monte Cristo."

The 'Hero of Revenge,' also known as the 'King of the Caves.'

In our world, he was just a character in a novel, but in the Fantasy World, he was a real person who had been active.

The 'Avenger of Avengers,' an S-rank Throne, had visited my residence.

'No, not just sending a message, but the Throne himself came?'

When I was a contractor, if I did something noticeable, I could receive a message from a Throne like [XXX applauds your performance].

But now that I am a Throne, if I do something noticeable... it seems the Throne comes in person instead of sending a message.