Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 19 - : The Order’s Executioner

Sai's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he stood before the Order's Executioner. The jet-black armor of the enforcer shimmered under the unstable light of the Lost Gate, its presence distorting reality around them.

The ruins of Dusk stretched around them, shattered buildings and ancient carvings half-buried beneath creeping shadows. The Order's forces were already clashing with Aldrin's hunters—blades clashed, magic roared through the battlefield, and the air crackled with tension.

But Sai had no time to focus on them.

The Executioner was watching him.

Waiting.

"You've been marked by the Abyss," the enforcer said, voice distorted beneath his helmet. He lifted his curved black sword, the edges pulsing with eerie blue light. "That means you die here."

Sai exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders.

"You can try."

Then—they moved.

The Executioner attacked first.

He vanished—blinking forward faster than Sai had ever seen. His sword descended like a falling star, cutting through the air with terrifying precision.

Sai barely managed to react. He twisted his body, dodging left as the blade slashed through empty space, the sheer force splitting the stone beneath him.

A second strike came immediately.

Sai raised his daggers to parry—

CLANG!

The moment their weapons met, a violent mana shockwave blasted outward, shaking the ruins. Sai gritted his teeth as he skidded back several feet, the impact rattling through his bones.

"Tch." He exhaled, adjusting his stance.

This guy was strong.

And worse—his attacks weren't just fast.

They were precise.

Sai couldn't afford to waste time.

Sai's Counterattack

He surged forward, flipping his dagger into a reverse grip. Instead of striking head-on, he used Abyssal Step, blinking behind the Executioner in an instant.

His dagger slashed toward the enforcer's neck—

But before it could land, the Executioner twisted unnaturally, his entire body bending at an impossible angle.

Sai's blade missed.

His instincts screamed.

"Too slow."

The Executioner's elbow struck Sai's ribs.

A burst of pain erupted through his body as he was sent flying backward, crashing against a cracked pillar. He barely had time to breathe before the Executioner was already in front of him.

The black sword came down.

Sai rolled to the side just in time—the blade sliced through the pillar behind him like it was paper.

He didn't stop.

He activated Shadow Step, phasing into the darkness—just in time to avoid a horizontal slash.

Reappearing several feet away, he gasped for breath.

This guy was faster than him. Stronger.

But... not invincible.

Sai focused.

The Abyss was part of him now.

And if the Executioner wanted to kill him for it...

He might as well use it.

Abyssal Power Awakens

Sai lifted his hand.

The shadows stirred.

His System reacted instantly.

[Abyssal Grasp Activated]

Tendrils of pure darkness burst from the ground, twisting unnaturally as they wrapped around the Executioner's legs.

The enforcer paused, his body momentarily restricted.

Sai moved instantly.

He dashed forward, daggers flashing. His blades pierced through the Executioner's armor, sinking into the gaps beneath his shoulder plates.

For the first time—the Executioner staggered.

Sai gritted his teeth.

"Got you."

But then—the enforcer laughed.

"Impressive."

His eyes flashed gold.

And then—his entire body twisted violently.

The shadows broke apart.

The Executioner's sword swung up, faster than Sai could react—

And then—

Pain.

Sai barely registered what had happened before he felt a searing sensation across his chest.

The Executioner's blade had cut through his armor, leaving a deep, burning wound along his side.

He stumbled back, coughing.

Blood dripped onto the ground.

"You are improving," the Executioner mused. "But you are still incomplete."

Sai gasped for breath, pressing a hand to his wound.

This guy wasn't normal.

No.

He was something else entirely.

The way his body moved, the way he recovered instantly from attacks.

The golden light in his eyes.

Then—Sai realized.

"You... you're corrupted."

The Executioner tilted his head.

"Corrupted?"

Sai's stomach twisted.

"The Abyss has already touched you."

For the first time, the Executioner's smile faded.

"You assume too much."

Sai's System flashed another warning.

[Abyssal Distortion Detected.]

[Timeflow Unstable.]

Sai's breath caught.

The air shifted.

The ruins around them shuddered.

And then—

The Lost Gate pulsed.

A deep, inhuman whisper crawled through the air, slithering into Sai's thoughts like a distant memory.

"You are close."

The Executioner flinched.

For the first time—he looked uneasy.

Sai's eyes widened.

The Abyss was reaching out.

Not just to him—

To the Executioner as well.

The Order Retreats

The ruins shook violently, cracks forming along the stone pathways. The Lost Gate's energy surged, sending waves of black mist spilling into the battlefield.

The Executioner's grip on his sword tightened.

Then, after a long silence—he lowered it.

"Not yet."

Sai's breathing was heavy, but he kept his stance firm. "What?"

The Executioner exhaled, glancing toward the Lost Gate.

"The Abyss is watching." His golden eyes flickered. "I will not fight in its presence."

And then—he stepped back.

The remaining Order forces who had been fighting Aldrin's hunters immediately withdrew, moving with synchronized precision.

Sai clenched his fists.

"That's it? You're just leaving?"

The Executioner studied him for a moment.

"You are still incomplete." His voice was unreadable. "But soon, you will have to choose."

"Choose what?" Sai demanded.

The Executioner smiled slightly.

"Whether you remain human... or become something else."

And then—he was gone.

The Order vanished into the night.

Leaving Sai alone in front of the Lost Gate.

The Gate Beckons

The ruins were silent now.

Sai's chest rose and fell, his wound still aching. He glanced at the massive rift before him.

It was unstable, its edges pulsing as if barely containing what was inside.

His System flickered.

[Lost Gate Unsealed.]

[Dungeon Type: ???]

[Enter?] [Y/N]

Sai wiped the blood from his lip.

The Executioner had backed down because of the Abyss.

That meant something inside this gate was important.

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And that meant...

He had no choice but to step inside.

Sai exhaled, tightened his grip on his daggers—

And walked into the Lost Gate.