My Scumbag System-Chapter 283: Trial by Slaughter, Sponsored by the Gods of Violence

Chapter 283: Trial by Slaughter, Sponsored by the Gods of Violence

It hung in the center of the clearing, a vertical tear in the fabric of reality. It looked like someone had taken a knife and sliced open the world itself, leaving a wound that refused to heal.

The edges shimmered with sickly blue light, constantly moving and shifting, writhing like something alive was trying to push through from the other side. It hummed at a frequency that made my teeth ache and my vision blur if I looked at it too long.

The sound was almost subsonic, felt more than heard—a pressure in my skull that whispered of things that should not exist.

The Gate was roughly fifteen feet tall and ten feet wide, its shape roughly oval but constantly shifting at the edges.

Through that shimmering membrane, I could see... nothing. Just darkness. Not the absence of light, but something more absolute. Something hungry.

"Holy shit," Juan whispered beside me. His face had gone pale, his datapad forgotten at his side. "It’s bigger than I thought."

"That’s what she said," I replied automatically, but my heart wasn’t in it.

The Gate demanded respect. It demanded fear.

Around us, other students were having similar reactions. Emi had her hand pressed to her mouth. Soomin was shaking visibly. Even Raphael had gone quiet, his usual bravado replaced by something more primal.

The Argent Sentinels disembarked from their bus, forming a perfect line with the ease of long practice. Their armor caught what little light filtered through the forest canopy, turning them into silver statues.

Julian was talking animatedly to his team, probably giving some inspirational speech about honor and duty. His voice carried across the clearing—something about "proving their superiority" and "showing these mongrels their place."

What a load of crap.

A figure emerged from the command tent. A woman in her forties with a face that looked like it had been carved from granite with a dull knife. Scars crisscrossed her features in a roadmap of violence—one running from her left eyebrow down to her jaw, another bisecting her nose, a cluster of smaller ones peppering her cheeks like shrapnel marks. Her eyes were the color of cigarette ash, and just as warm.

She wore heavy, non-standard armor made from what looked like monster hide—patches of scales and fur stitched together in a grotesque patchwork that somehow looked more practical than any of the Sentinels’ polished gear. She held a clipboard like it was a weapon, which, given the look on her face, it probably could be.

She walked toward us with the casual confidence of someone who had seen hell and found it lacking.

"Students," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle for someone who looked like she gargled broken glass for fun. "I am Watcher Graves. I am the only thing stopping what’s in there from coming out here. You are guests in my war zone. Act accordingly."

Her gaze swept over us, taking in our shiny new gear and eager faces with the same expression you’d give a toddler holding a loaded gun. She lingered on me for a moment longer than the others—I couldn’t tell if that was recognition or just sizing up the biggest potential threat.

"The Gate has been open for thirty-nine hours. It will remain stable for approximately one hundred twenty more. The VHC standard protocol is full clearance within seventy-two hours. You have less than half that."

She looked directly at me, then shifted her gaze to Julian, who had approached with his team. The hatred was still there in his eyes, but he’d masked it with aristocratic composure. Petrova stood behind him, her expression unreadable.

"I understand you two groups have some sort of competition planned. I don’t care. Your academic rivalries mean nothing to the things inside that Gate. They will kill you regardless of your guild affiliation."

She consulted her clipboard, flipping through pages covered in dense text and what looked like body counts. "Two teams. East and west wings. The Boss chamber will remain locked until both wings are cleared."

She looked up, her ashen eyes hard as stone. "The clock starts when the last boot hits the water. Good hunting."

The Sentinels moved toward the Gate with military precision. Julian shot me one last venomous glare before he disappeared through the shimmering tear, his team following behind him in a perfect silver line. The Gate seemed to swallow them, their forms distorting and stretching before vanishing entirely.

I turned to my team. They were staring at the Gate, at the place where the Sentinels had been just moments ago. Some looked terrified. Some looked eager. All of them were waiting for me.

"Remember the formation. Remember the plan. And remember, we’re not here to be heroes."

"We’re here to win," Natalia finished for me, her purple eyes gleaming with anticipation. Her hand brushed against mine for just a moment—a promise, a reassurance.

I nodded, then turned toward the Gate. The blue light washed over me, making my skin look corpse-pale. The humming grew louder as I approached, vibrating through my bones. My system pinged in my peripheral vision, confirming what I already knew—whatever was on the other side of that shimmer wanted me dead.

I took a deep breath of clean air—possibly my last for a while—filling my lungs with the scent of pine and earth and that underlying rot. Then I stepped through.

Into the Necropolis.

New Quest Issued: [Trial by Slaughter]

Quest Type: Sponsored Guild Mission

Sponsors: The Divine Courts of Ares & Zeus

Assigned: Chapter 275

The Court of Aphrodite has had its little melodrama, and you played your part beautifully. But the gods of war are unimpressed by romance. Ares is sharpening his spear. Zeus is tapping his thunderbolt impatiently. They sponsored you for conquest, Protagonist, not for courting.

They demand a spectacle of glorious, unapologetic violence. They want to see you remind this world why you were chosen. It is time to wash the scent of perfume off with the stench of monster blood. It is time to go to war.

Primary Objective

Clear the Sunken Necropolis C-Rank Gate. You must secure the Hydra-Lich’s Core before the Argent Sentinels.

Bonus Objectives

Merely winning is for mortals. The gods demand dominance. Fulfill these conditions to earn their true favor.

[Shock and Awe]: Clear your designated wing and reach the Boss Chamber at least 5 minutes before the Argent Sentinels clear theirs. Prove your operational speed is overwhelmingly superior.

[The Alpha’s Charity]: During the final Boss encounter, you or a member of your designated Onyx Hounds squad must intervene to save an Argent Sentinel from a life-threatening blow. Demonstrating that you have the luxury to save your rivals is the ultimate expression of superiority.

[Forging the Vanguard]: Your power is not yours alone. Prove your worth as a leader. Ensure at least two members of your squad (excluding yourself and Natalia) land the killing blow on an Elite-tier monster (Coral Centurion or higher).

Success Rewards

+300 SP: A reward for a successful and bloody hunt. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

[Combat-Oriented Gacha Ticket (Gold)]: A special ticket for Apollo’s Emporium that guarantees the result will be a weapon, combat art, or combat-related Trait of Gold Tier or higher.

Bonus - [Shock and Awe]: New Title granted: [The Blitzkrieger]. At the start of any combat encounter, you and your designated party gain a +20% boost to Agility for the first 30 seconds.

Bonus - [The Alpha’s Charity]: Trait Upgrade: [Rivalry] evolves into [Apex Predator’s Presence (Gold)]. Your aura no longer just invites challenge; it projects dominance. Those with weaker willpower will feel a primal urge to submit, while those with stronger wills will perceive you as an undeniable, high-level threat, granting you a permanent advantage in all initial social and combat encounters.

Bonus - [Forging the Vanguard]: Trait Upgrade: [Kingmaker’s Aura] is enhanced. The growth acceleration for your loyal followers is increased by an additional 10%, and you unlock the ability to grant a temporary, 1-hour "blessing" of one of your own Bronze or Silver-tier skills to a bonded Ensemble member once per day.

Failure Penalty

If the Argent Sentinels secure the Boss Core first, you will not just lose face. You will lose favor.

-150 SP Deduction.

You are granted the permanent Title: [The Paper Tiger].

Effect: A title for a beast that roars but has no claws. Your base Strength and Endurance will be reduced by 15% for one week. Furthermore, all SP gains from combat activities will be halved during this period. The gods do not reward entertaining failures in the arena of war.