Soul system:Return Of The SSS-Ranked Troublemaker-Chapter 33: Jeju Island (9) Mysterious Person In Cloak.
Yin pushed himself up, his fists digging into the mud.
His jaw clenched tight, his teeth grinding together as he fought back the sobs.
The cold rain mixed with his tears, washing over his face like the sky itself was mocking his weakness.
His chest heaved, his breathing ragged.
Then—he looked up.
His raging eyes locked onto the dark, stormy sky.
"I... I’ll change.
Whatever it takes."
His voice was low, but filled with something raw—something dangerous.
A storm wasn’t just raging outside.
It was now raging inside him.
One Week Later
The Heroes continued monitoring the portal, still trying to determine its ranking and nature.
Despite the ongoing research, the students kept training.
It was late at night.
The air was thick with fog, the sky a deep void of darkness.
Somewhere near the edge of the base, Zion sat against the thick roots of a massive tree.
His sharp gaze flickered toward Yin.
"He’s still at it."
A few meters away, Yin was doing push-ups—
With a massive boulder strapped to his back.
Zion exhaled. "When the Hyperbolic Chamber opens in the morning, he trains there under multiplied gravity. And when it closes, he comes out here... and pushes himself even harder."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"I shouldn’t slack off either."
His tone was cold, but a flicker of determination burned behind his eyes.
With that thought, Zion stood up.
He turned toward the forest, stepping into the thick fog.
Then—he stopped.
His body froze.
Someone was standing there.
A figure shrouded in a black cloak, their back turned away from Zion.
The mist clung to them, their presence unnatural—almost warped.
Zion’s instincts screamed at him.
His breath steadied, his hand slowly reaching toward his weapon.
Then—the cloaked man turned around.
Zion’s eyes narrowed.
A blade was strapped to the man’s waist—but it wasn’t normal.
The sheathed weapon pulsed, the energy within it shifting like a distortion in reality.
And then—Zion saw the blade itself.
His heart skipped a beat.
It wasn’t made of metal.
It wasn’t even a real sword.
It was pure energy.
A circular, swirling mass of unstable power—
Like a portal trapped within a blade.
Zion instantly got into his stance.
"Who are you?"
The figure didn’t answer.
Then—he spoke.
His voice was cold, detached.
"The world is still holding... for now."
A chill ran down Zion’s spine.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Zion yelled.
The man smirked.
And then—he said something that made Zion’s blood freeze.
"It’s funny. I’ve seen a thousand versions of you... and yet, I never get tired of watching."
His tone was mocking, filled with amusement and something else—something eerie.
Zion’s pulse spiked.
"WHAT?!"
His mind raced.
Before he could react—before he could even take a step forward—
A wave of crushing energy erupted from the figure.
Zion’s entire body locked up.
His vision blurred for a second, his legs almost giving out beneath him.
It felt like he was being drowned in pressure.
His instincts screamed—
He was standing before something... beyond him.
The ground beneath Zion trembled.
Cosmic energy pulsed, merging with the earth, creating fractured patterns of glowing light that spiraled outward from the stranger’s feet.
The air itself felt warped, as if reality was bending around this man’s very existence.
Then—he turned back.
His cold gaze locked onto Zion.
"Don’t ever try."
His voice was calm—but absolute.
A warning. A threat.
Zion clenched his jaw, anger rising in his chest.
"JUST WHAT ARE Y—"
Then—his voice died in his throat.
His eyes widened in horror.
The man slowly reached for his weapon.
The strange blade on his waist—
Zion had already sensed it wasn’t normal... but he wasn’t prepared for what he saw next.
With a single motion, the man unsheathed the blade.
Not metal.
Not even energy.
Something else entirely.
And then—he moved.
With a fluid motion, he swung the blade twice, forming an ’X’ in the air.
SHRRK!
A seam in reality itself split open.
But this wasn’t a portal.
No—this was something far worse.
The air around it collapsed inward, as if space itself had been cut apart.
A dimension beyond comprehension stretched before Zion’s eyes.
A world where reality looked... broken.
Glitches of existence. Spiraling voids. Fractured light.
For a moment—Zion thought he saw something move inside.
Something vast. Something wrong.
Then—the stranger exhaled.
He spoke without looking back.
"We’ll meet again."
He took a single step forward.
Then—he smirked.
"The pieces are already moving. I’m just here to watch how the game plays out."
With that—he jumped.
The moment his body crossed the threshold, the cosmic energy around Zion vanished.
The pressure lifted.
And then—the rift began closing.
Zion’s body reacted before his mind could.
"Wait!"
He lunged forward, trying to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond.
But—it was too late.
The rift sealed shut, leaving nothing behind.
Zion stumbled forward, his foot catching on the uneven ground.
THUD.
He hit the dirt, his breathing ragged.
"What... was that?"
His fingers curled into fists.
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
He slowly pushed himself up, his mind drowning in thoughts.
"Should I tell the Heroes about this...?"
The rational part of him said yes.
But then—doubt crept in.
"No... even if I tell them, they wouldn’t believe me.
Plus... I have no proof. No one else saw it.
Even Master... wouldn’t believe me."
Zion let out a slow breath, shaking his head.
He turned toward the base, his movements heavy.
His thoughts swirled.
Questions without answers.
Doubts without resolution.
And above all—the haunting image of that severed dimension.
By the time Zion reached his bed, sleep refused to come.
Even as he lay there, staring at the ceiling, his mind remained trapped in that moment.
The Morning Announcement
The morning was peaceful, the first rays of sunlight warming the base as students lay in their beds, enjoying the quiet.
Then—a loud announcement blared through the speakers.
"EVERYONE, GET UP! THERE’S AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE NEXT TEST, YO!"
A ripple of groans, yawns, and complaints spread through the dorms.
Some students bolted upright, startled, while others rolled over, trying to ignore it.
Within moments, the base buzzed with movement as students begrudgingly got dressed and made their way outside.
