Artifact-Devouring Player

Chapter 190: Twisted Future - (1)

Up to now, the things Sanghyun had experienced could be divided into just two categories.

Events that happened in his past life but that he had not been aware of — in other words, incidents that had occurred.

And events that happened in his past life, that Sanghyun remembered, and that had played out exactly as he recalled.

There were only these two types.

It was also the only valid choice available to someone who had returned in time. Because things had flowed according to history.

It was the reason why Sanghyun considered himself special.

He had already experienced how terrifying someone with knowledge of the future could be through his rapid growth until now.

He seized every unknown advantage and benefit before anyone else and reaped all the rewards.

It was a privilege only a returner could enjoy, and Sanghyun had relentlessly pursued it.

This was also a vow toward the "Late Bloomer Model Student" constellation, who had clearly been the one to send him back.

There was no way he had been returned to the past for no reason. That was why he had lived so fiercely.

But now, for the first time, a problem had occurred.

Sanghyun’s gaze was fixed on the massive portal near Jamsil Station that he could see through the window.

‘Without a doubt, there was never a rift at Jamsil Station during this time period.’

Though he didn’t remember everything from his past life, he knew all the major events.

If there had ever been a rift boldly appearing at Jamsil Station, he would have heard about it in some form.

But this rift was larger than he had imagined, and more importantly, its location was right in the middle of the city.

“Is this a kind of turning point?”

Sanghyun’s voice dropped low.

He had been fairly interested in theories and hypotheses about time travel when he was younger.

There were many theories.

Among them, one that had caught his interest was the logic that, once you go back to the past and begin changing the future one by one—

At some point, things would start to veer off in a direction entirely different from the original future.

For example, Sanghyun stopping the Osaka Great Rift would be a prime example.

It was something that should have happened, but because Sanghyun had cleared the Break Spot Dungeon, the danger had disappeared.

So, according to the original timeline, people who were supposed to die would not, and that would change the predetermined timeline.

“That rift might be a butterfly effect caused by me. I can't say I bear no responsibility.”

Sanghyun clenched his fist.

He couldn’t know exactly how the rift had formed, but for now, it had to be dealt with.

Since the rift had appeared in the heart of the city, monsters could immediately begin attacking civilians.

Thankfully, for now, only flashes of light were flickering, and nothing had emerged yet.

“……”

Sanghyun cautiously opened the door to check on Lee Siyeon.

She was sound asleep and seemed not to have felt the tremor that had just occurred.

Considering her frail body, it was better for her to rest deeply without knowing anything.

Sanghyun left a short message and immediately headed out.

[I’ll bring something tasty, so when you wake up, don’t do anything else — just rest and wait.]

The fact that a rift had appeared around Jamsil Station carried the risk of escalating into a major disaster.

But thinking positively, it also meant there was a chance to respond swiftly.

Fortunately, the area around Jamsil Station had several buildings affiliated with the Player Union.

Though the Player Union was often criticized for slow response, this time the result turned out well.

While there weren’t enough personnel to deploy in battle, there were plenty of agents to control the surroundings.

They quickly erected barricades and shut down all traffic flow.

As a result, the Jamsil Station area turned into a massive parking lot, and cars began turning around.

Though there was brief congestion due to the confusion—

Citizens, who knew better than anyone the necessity of evacuating in dangerous situations, cooperated actively.

When Sanghyun arrived at the scene, he grabbed one of the agents controlling the perimeter and asked,

“Have any monsters emerged from inside the rift yet?”

“Ah? Shin Sanghyun-nim?”

The Union agent immediately recognized Sanghyun.

By now, it would be stranger if someone in the country didn’t recognize Sanghyun.

Of course, whether people recognized him or not wasn’t important, so Sanghyun didn’t care.

“If the Union isn't controlling the situation entirely, I’d like to go inside.”

He stated his intention clearly.

Normally, the Union would try to manage the rift. That’s the purpose of its establishment, after all.

But right now was an emergency.

If even a single large monster squeezed through the rift, the whole area could be turned into rubble.

“Yes, please do.”

The agent made a quick decision.

In a typical situation, they’d go through the process of reporting to higher-ups and getting permission.

But during emergencies, all agents were granted discretionary authority when needed.

At least until the Union’s control tower officially declared it would manage the situation directly.

“Thank you.”

Although formal, Sanghyun was now fully authorized. Gripping his Nameless Sword tightly, he dashed toward the rift.

The agent watched Sanghyun grow distant with wistful eyes, capturing the image of his back.

“I envy him. I wish I could become a strong player like that.”

“Fate is a thing, you know. That’s Shin Sanghyun’s fate. And he’s carving it out better than anyone.”

“If I were given that kind of power, I probably wouldn’t use it as well as he does.”

“To be blunt, you wouldn’t even use 10% of it.”

“True. Just look at his death match with Ma Dongho this time!”

Sanghyun's figure in the video, toying with Ma Dongho like it was nothing, lingered in the agent’s mind.

That’s what it meant to be a strong person.

To possess overwhelming power, yet never boast or act arrogantly, and instead fulfill one’s responsibilities.

It was always the half-baked strong ones who flaunted their skills — the truly strong said as little as possible.

And in the agent’s eyes, Sanghyun was entirely the latter.

Someone so strong that there was no need to prove his worth or power to anyone.

Someone like that was—

“A named.”

That was the usual term people used.

Jamsil Rift Site. Shin Sanghyun-nim, the first to arrive at the scene, has just entered the rift.

Confirmed.

More players are voluntarily gathering at the scene. We will authorize autonomous intervention.

Proceed. Multiple rift-related issues are being detected in other locations, making emergency dispatch difficult.

Understood.

At that moment, among the association’s departments connected to the rift, communications were flying back and forth without rest.

And there was one person intercepting those communications in real time. It was Park Jungmin.

“Is this a chance for consumption?”

A sudden rift outbreak.

Broadly speaking, it was a disaster, where civilians’ lives were at risk.

But Park Jungmin didn’t care about that at all from the beginning.

What did it matter if a few worm-like civilians with no abilities died?

Players were the chosen race of humanity, and those who weren’t would eventually be weeded out.

Just like no one mourned the death of a few bugs, Park Jungmin felt the same way.

Of course, he had never voiced these thoughts aloud.

He had simply played the role of a kind, likable journalist.

In other words, the virtuous image people had of Park Jungmin was 100% pretense — not a shred of it was real.

Still, he had always been diligent about his work as a journalist.

He even enjoyed it.

Above all, he found it quite enjoyable to pick out "prey" to devour from among the connections he made.

A life lived as a Constellation Devourer.

It brought a fresh shock to what had once been a dull and meaningless routine.

Murder is a crime.

To kill someone is to erase everything they are.

He had once been trapped in that kind of moral thought — but his new path had shattered those beliefs.

[We Devourers never kill the players we consume.]

[We offer inferior beings a chance to achieve eternal greatness through being absorbed into us.]

[Their Constellations and powers can evolve further through us, who are truly special.]

Those were the words posted in giant letters on the Devourer Network’s bulletin board.

It was enough to completely wash away any guilt Park Jungmin felt about living as a Devourer.

And he had taken the lives of many players with his own hands.

The powers of their Constellations had transferred completely to him. Without exception.

What made Park Jungmin truly terrifying was that he never succumbed to arrogance or hubris — he only grew more meticulous with time.

Even when Tory recklessly targeted Sanghyun, Park Jungmin had held back, biding his time.

If he had jumped in along with Tory, caught in the heat of the moment, he’d be six feet under by now.

“Is this a god-given chance?”

Park Jungmin murmured, looking up at the sky darkened by the clouds that had begun to gather.

Under ordinary circumstances, he could never recklessly trail behind Sanghyun.

If Sanghyun entered a dungeon, following him would count as trespassing — and even doing that wasn’t easy.

But what about a sudden rift?

It wasn’t a dungeon that required permission to enter. In emergencies, any player could step inside.

For the greater good!

To prevent even greater damage — a preemptive protective action.

That was probably the same reason Sanghyun had suddenly appeared and entered the rift.

In other words, there would be no strange looks if player Park Jungmin entered the rift too.

And if Sanghyun were to suddenly die inside that uncertain space, no one would think it odd. Rifts were both lands of opportunity and lands of danger.

“I’ve done enough research.”

A smile crept onto Park Jungmin’s lips.

He had studied Sanghyun more intensely than anyone else.

After Ma Dongho lost to Sanghyun, most people considered him immeasurable and invincible—

But Park Jungmin thought differently.

He believed it was doable.

That was thanks to a new skill he had acquired not long ago.

[Dominate]

[Seals all of a target’s skill usage for a set period of time. There is no way to remove this control by any means.]

The power of domination.

It was a status effect — another version of what Sanghyun himself was often praised for.

“I noticed how heavily he depends on skills.”

Park Jungmin was confident.

Though he still didn’t know how Sanghyun was stacking and growing his power—

One thing was certain.

Sanghyun wasn’t the type to rely on basic attacks to win.

Quite the opposite.

More than 90%, no — 95% of his attacks were based on skill use.

Everyone else was too dazzled by Sanghyun’s overwhelming power to properly notice this characteristic.

His high skill dependency!

That meant if one could seal his skills for the right time and duration, it was possible to subdue Sanghyun.

“If I can just devour Shin Sanghyun’s Constellation… then all his glory and power will become mine.”

A twisted smile appeared on Park Jungmin’s lips — a sinister grin the world had never seen before.