Death System: I awakened SSS rank System-Chapter 67: THE MAN, ENJIN

The air in the desolate expanse shimmered faintly. A slow, creeping silence stretched across the cracked ground, broken only by the faint hum of energy that pulsed like a heartbeat beneath the surface of the world.

Standing at the center of it all was Zermon, his long cloak swaying gently despite the absence of wind, his sharp eyes fixed ahead as though he were watching something beyond ordinary sight.

Opposite him, leaning lazily against a fractured pillar of black stone, stood Nero Void, his white hair glinting faintly under the dim glow of the sky, his expression carrying that same unsettling grin that never quite reached his eyes.

Zermon exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his arm as he finally spoke, his voice calm yet laced with a deep, calculating undertone.

"So... you’ve seen him up close," he began, his gaze shifting toward Nero without fully turning his head.

"Tell me, Nero. Is he truly worth all this attention, or is this just another fleeting spark that will burn out before it ever becomes a flame?" His tone wasn’t dismissive, but it carried the weight of someone who had witnessed countless rising talents crumble under pressure.

Nero chuckled softly, pushing himself off the stone as he straightened, his serpents nowhere in sight yet their presence lingering like a shadow behind him.

"You always underestimate the interesting ones," he replied, his voice almost playful, though there was a subtle edge beneath it.

"Zakar isn’t like the others. He doesn’t just fight to win. He thinks... adapts... calculates. Even when he’s outmatched, he’s watching, learning. That kind of mind is far more dangerous than raw power." His grin widened slightly as he recalled their encounter, the brief clash that had ended with Zakar broken against the ground yet still glaring up with defiance.

Zermon finally turned his head, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he considered those words. "And yet," he said slowly, "you defeated him rather easily." There was no mockery in his tone—only a simple statement, grounded in fact.

Nero tilted his head, letting out a low laugh. "Of course I did. At his current level, he stands no chance against me. Not even close." He paused, his expression shifting subtly as his voice dropped into something more serious.

"But that’s exactly why he’s dangerous. He faced me, understood the gap between us, and still didn’t break. Most players would have lost their will right there. He didn’t." His golden eyes gleamed faintly. "That kind of resilience... it grows."

A brief silence followed, heavy and deliberate, as Zermon absorbed every word. Then, slowly, he nodded. "So he’s a seed," he muttered. "Not yet a threat... but one that could become troublesome if left unchecked."

"Not just troublesome," Nero corrected lightly, folding his arms. "Potentially catastrophic... if he’s allowed to grow freely."

Zermon’s lips curled into a faint smile, though it held no warmth. "Then the logical course would be to eliminate him now."

Nero’s grin sharpened, almost amused by the suggestion. "And miss the opportunity?" he asked, his tone laced with quiet excitement.

"No... killing him now would be a waste. You don’t destroy something like that before it reaches its peak. You let it grow. Let it struggle. Let it evolve." He stepped forward slightly, his presence intensifying.

"Then, when it finally stands at the top... you crush it."

Zermon studied him for a long moment before letting out a soft breath. "You haven’t changed," he said. "Still obsessed with watching things break at their strongest."

"It’s more satisfying that way," Nero replied without hesitation. The ground beneath them pulsed faintly again, as though reacting to their presence, and for a brief moment, both men fell silent. Then, almost simultaneously, their expressions shifted.

They felt it. A presence lurking. Subtle at first like a faint ripple in still water but growing rapidly, pushing against the fabric of the space around them. Zermon’s eyes sharpened instantly.

Nero, on the other hand, simply tilted his head, his grin returning as though he had been expecting something like this.

"Well now..." Nero murmured. "That didn’t take long."

Zermon’s gaze swept across the area, searching, analyzing, dissecting every inch of space until it landed on a single point in the distance. "Someone’s here," he said quietly. "And they’re not trying to hide."

A metallic sound echoed faintly through the air.

CLANG!!!!

CLANG!!!!

CLANG!!!!

Each step that followed carried a distinct, heavy resonance. From the far end of the fractured terrain, a figure emerged slowly, his silhouette becoming clearer with each passing second. His body was clad in layered metallic plates that shifted and adjusted seamlessly, reflecting the dim light in sharp, cutting glints.

His eyes were calm, almost indifferent, yet they held a depth that spoke of immense confidence.

He stopped a short distance away, his gaze moving between Zermon and Nero before settling into a neutral expression.

"So," he said, his voice steady and unhurried, "you’re the ones making all this noise."Zermon’s expression hardened slightly.

"And you are?" he asked. The man placed a hand lightly against his metallic hat, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Enjin," he replied. "Just someone passing through... until I felt this little gathering of monsters."

Nero let out a soft laugh, clearly amused. "Passing through?" he echoed. "That’s an interesting way to describe walking straight into danger."

Enjin shrugged lightly, the metal around his shoulders shifting with a soft, fluid motion. "Danger is relative," he said calmly. "From where I’m standing... you don’t seem that impressive."

For a brief moment, silence fell again but this time, it carried tension. Zermon’s aura flickered, just slightly, as a faint smile formed on his face.

"Confidence," he muttered. "Either you’re incredibly strong... or incredibly foolish."

"Why not both?" Enjin replied without missing a beat.

Nero’s grin widened, his interest clearly piqued. "I like him," he said, glancing at Zermon. "He’s got spirit."

Zermon didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he lifted a hand slightly, and from the shadows behind him, three figures stepped forward. Each of them carried a heavy, oppressive aura, their presence alone enough to distort the air around them.

They were his underlings fighters who had long since proven their strength through countless battles.

"If you want to test your confidence," Zermon said calmly, "then prove it."

Enjin’s gaze shifted to the three figures, his expression remaining unchanged. "Only three?" he asked. "I expected more."

"You’ll find that they’re enough," Zermon replied.

Nero chuckled softly as he stepped back. "Well, this should be entertaining."

Without another word, Zermon turned, beginning to walk away as though the outcome of the fight had already been decided in his favor. Nero followed shortly after, though he cast one last glance over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Try not to die too quickly," he called out lazily.

Enjin didn’t respond. Instead, he took a single step forward.

CLANG!!!!

The ground beneath his feet shifted, metal spreading outward like liquid before hardening instantly into a solid platform. His aura flared not violently, but steadily, like a rising tide of steel and pressure.

The three underlings moved at once.

The first lunged forward with explosive speed, his fist coated in dense energy as he aimed straight for Enjin’s head. The second circled from the side, blades forming along his arms, while the third remained back, gathering power for a ranged attack.

Enjin didn’t move. At least... not at first.

Then...

CLANG!!!

A wall of metal erupted from the ground, intercepting the first attacker’s punch with a deafening impact. The force of the collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, but the wall didn’t budge.

Enjin’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Too slow," he said.

With a flick of his hand, the metal wall shifted instantly, reshaping into a spear that shot forward, forcing the attacker back.

At the same time, the ground beneath the second underling twisted, metallic spikes bursting upward in a sudden, brutal assault.

The battlefield transformed in seconds.

Metal bent to Enjin’s will. Every step he took reshaped the terrain, every movement precise, controlled, overwhelming.

The third underling released his attack a concentrated blast of energy but before it could reach Enjin, a rotating shield of metal formed in front of him, absorbing the impact completely before dispersing it harmlessly into the air.

Enjin exhaled softly. Then he moved. Hands in his pockets. This time, his speed was undeniable.

He closed the distance in an instant, his fist coated in compressed metal as he struck the first underling square in the chest. The impact was devastating, sending the man crashing into the ground with enough force to crater the earth beneath him.

Before the others could react, Enjin turned, his movements fluid and relentless. He wasn’t just strong. He was overwhelming.

And within moments, the tide of battle had already shifted beyond recovery.

The three underlings... never stood a chance...