My Afterlife System!

Jihwan moved forward, his senses sharp. The air in the Abyssal Rift felt heavier, pressing down on him like an unseen force.

His new skill, [Abyss Sense], changed how he perceived his surroundings. It wasn't just sight or sound anymore—he could feel the space itself.

Something was wrong.

The jagged structures in the distance were shifting. Not visibly—but subtly, rearranging themselves the moment he looked away.

Jihwan's eyes narrowed.

"A shifting maze?"

A system message confirmed his suspicion.

[Warning: You have entered the Abyssal Labyrinth.]

→ A space that constantly changes, confusing intruders.

→ Time and direction may become distorted.

→ Escape requires reaching the center.

A maze that moved on its own. Great.

No map, no guide—just his instincts. The Abyss wanted him lost.

But he wasn't going to play by its rules.

He walked carefully, passing towering stone pillars covered in flickering runes. After a few minutes, he glanced back—

The path was gone.

A completely different structure stood in its place.

Jihwan exhaled. "So it's that kind of trick."

If the maze rewrote itself every time he moved, memorizing a route was useless. He grabbed a loose stone and marked an X on a pillar, then walked forward, counting his steps.

One, two, three…

The air rippled. The structures shifted.

Four, five…

Jihwan turned around.

The marked pillar wasn't where he left it.

Instead, it stood farther away, as if space had stretched without him noticing.

"The maze loops reality itself."

A normal person would wander here forever.

But Jihwan wasn't normal.

He activated [Abyss Sense].

His vision flickered.

Then—he saw them.

Thin, nearly invisible threads stretched through the air like a spider's web. Not random. A pattern.

Jihwan smirked. "Found you."

Instead of walking forward, he took a sudden left.

The moment he did—

The ground beneath him stabilized.

No shift. No change.

His smirk widened. "So that's how it works."

The labyrinth wasn't designed for humans—it was built to trap creatures that moved in predictable patterns. By breaking that pattern, he disrupted the maze itself.

A deep rumbling echoed through the space.

BOOM!

A massive stone wall slammed down in front of him.

A system message appeared.

[The Abyssal Labyrinth senses an anomaly.]

→ Abyssal Guardians have been awakened.

From the darkness, figures emerged.

[ Abyssal Guardian ]

→ Sentinels of the labyrinth, tasked with eliminating intruders.

→ Strength: B+

→ Defense: A

→ Weakness: Unknown

Three of them.

Hulking figures, clad in armor forged from pure darkness. Their glowing red eyes locked onto Jihwan.

He moved instantly—but so did they.

A massive blade tore through the air, the shockwave alone shaking the ground.

Jihwan barely ducked in time.

He activated [Shadow Walk]—disappearing into the darkness.

The Guardians froze, confused.

Good.

Jihwan reappeared behind the closest one and struck with Killer of Darkness.

CLANG!

His blade bounced off.

"Tch—"

Before he could retreat—

CRASH!

A fist slammed into him, sending him flying into a stone pillar.

[ HP: 3200/5000 ]

Jihwan coughed out blood. "Damn it, they hit like trucks."

His normal attacks wouldn't work. He needed a different approach.

A system notification blinked.

[ Abyss Sense ] → (Awakened: Abyss Perception)

→ You can now see the flow of energy in Abyssal creatures.

→ Reveals weak points in Abyssal entities.

Jihwan activated it.

His vision changed.

The Guardians' bodies glowed—but this time, he could see it.

Weak points.

Tiny, flickering gaps in their armor.

Jihwan exhaled sharply. "That's more like it."

He dodged left, then right—sliding under a Guardian's attack.

He targeted a crack near the creature's neck joint—

And stabbed.

SHHK!

The Guardian howled, its wound exploding with dark energy.

The massive figure collapsed.

[ Abyssal Guardian Defeated! ]

→ Weakness exploited!

→ EXP Gained: 3,000

The remaining two charged at him.

But now—he could see them.

With precise movements, he struck their weak points—one by one.

And within minutes—

[ Abyssal Guardians Defeated! ]

→ EXP Gained: 6,000

→ Level Up! (Level 11 → Level 12)

→ New Skill Acquired: [ Abyss Breaker ]

Jihwan panted, sweat dripping from his forehead.

He checked the skill.

[ Abyss Breaker ]

→ Allows one devastating attack that shatters Abyssal defenses.

→ Consumes 30% of Dark Energy.

→ Cooldown: 48 Hours.

Jihwan's lips curled. "Now that's a skill worth having."

The maze had tried to stop him.

Instead, he had grown stronger.

His gaze lifted.

At the labyrinth's center, a massive gateway pulsed with power.

His next destination.

Tightening his grip on his weapon, he stepped forward.

Whatever lay beyond—he would face it.

Jihwan stood before the massive glowing gateway, his breath steady. The swirling energy of the portal radiated an overwhelming aura, unlike anything he had faced before.

A system message appeared.

[ You have reached the Core of the Abyssal Labyrinth. ]

→ A single step forward will take you beyond the known realms.

→ Only those who have proven their worth may proceed.

He clenched his fists. Everything had been leading to this. The shifting maze, the Abyssal Guardians, the constant tests—it had all been preparing him for what lay ahead. Yet something about the portal felt wrong.

He activated [ Abyss Sense ]. His vision flickered, revealing hidden layers of energy surrounding the gateway. It wasn't just a door. It was a threshold.

The Abyss wasn't simply allowing him to enter. It was evaluating him.

Would he step forward and lose himself to the darkness? Or would he emerge stronger than ever?

There was only one way to find out.

Jihwan took a step forward.

The moment he crossed, a violent pull yanked him forward. Gravity shattered. His body plunged into a void of shifting shadows and distorted figures.

Whispers filled his ears.

"Unworthy."

"Not strong enough."

"You will fall."

He clenched his jaw. "Shut up."

He wasn't about to let the Abyss define him.

[ HP: 5000/5000 ]

[ Dark Energy: 300/300 ]

[ Strength: A- ]

[ Agility: A ]

[ Abyssal Authority: B+ ]

Good. He was at full strength.

Spreading his arms, he stabilized himself mid-fall, then activated [ Death's Shroud ].

For twenty seconds, he became one with the darkness.

The whispers stopped.

The void hesitated.

They feared him.

Jihwan smirked. So even the Abyss recognized his power now.

The void twisted violently—

And then—

He hit the ground.

A vast arena stretched before him, lined with glowing Abyssal symbols. The air was thick, charged with raw energy.

A figure stood in the distance.

"Who's there?" Jihwan asked.

The figure stepped forward, a deep, echoing voice responding.

"So… you are the one chosen by the Abyss?"

Jihwan's body tensed. The figure was clad in armor made of pure darkness, Abyssal energy warping the air around him.

[ Abyssal Challenger - Nyx ]

→ The embodiment of the Abyss's will.

→ A warrior who tests all those who dare step beyond.

→ Power Level: S-

Jihwan's breath slowed.

An S-rank opponent already?

Nyx's red eyes locked onto him. "Come, Heir of the Abyss. Prove your worth."

Then—

He vanished.

Jihwan barely had time to react. Nyx appeared behind him in an instant, his blade slashing downward.

CLANG!

Jihwan barely blocked with Killer of Darkness, but the force sent him skidding back.

"Fast—!"

Nyx moved again.

Another attack—this time aimed at his throat.

Jihwan ducked, spinning to counterattack—

But Nyx was already gone.

He was reading his movements.

Fighting an S-rank opponent head-on was suicide. He needed a strategy.

Jihwan activated [ Abyss Perception ]. Nyx's energy flow became visible. There—small gaps in his movements.

He faked a retreat, only to reverse his momentum at the last second.

Nyx hesitated.

A mistake.

Jihwan struck.

Dark energy surged through his blade.

BOOM!

Nyx staggered.

For the first time—

He was wounded.

A slow, dark grin formed on Jihwan's face. "Not bad, right?"

Nyx exhaled, then smiled.

"It seems the Abyss has chosen well."

Jihwan tightened his grip on his weapon.

This fight was just beginning.