“I did it,” he murmured, taking a deep breath. “I got out.”

  Then, a murmur began to rise from the city. At first faint, then growing louder. Shouts, commotion... News of Baek Yisoo's death had begun to spread.

  Looking out over the city, Atlas could see guards running along the walls. Torches were multiplying, as if an alarm had been sounded. Within minutes, shouts erupted from different parts of the city.

  “Baek Yisoo is dead!”

  “Murder at the Violet Inn!”

  “The killer must be found!”

  The shouts reached Atlas's ears on the wind. His heart raced again. What he had done was real. He had actually killed a person, and now the whole city was up in arms. Damn it, was Baek Yisoo really that important a man?

  The vendor's face came to mind. The look he had given him before leaving the door... The vendor knew. He had asked Atlas why he had come to the city, what he was looking for. Now, he had seen him flee in a hurry. He was probably piecing it all together in his mind right now.

  The vendor's hands trembled as he closed his stall. That young man... The man who had asked him about Violet Inn that afternoon. Now, hours later, he was fleeing the city in panic. And immediately after, the news that Baek Yisoo had been murdered...

  “By the gods,” whispered the vendor, wiping his sweaty forehead. “Was it him? Was he the killer?”

  He looked around. Guards were quickly organizing, the gates were closed, but clearly it was too late. Should the vendor approach the guard commander? Should he describe the young man?

  But what if he was wrong? What if the young man was innocent? Or worse... what if he was right, and the young man really was a murderer? Could he go back, find him, and take revenge?

  The vendor slumped behind his stall and covered his face with his hands. No, he didn't want to get involved. Tonight he would go home, lock his door, and pray that everything would be normal when he woke up in the morning.

  But deep down he knew. That young man with the strange eyes had been different from the start. He had asked strange questions, seemed like a stranger in the city, but knew his target very well. And now Baek Yisoo was dead.

  “May the gods protect us all,” murmured the vendor, standing up with trembling legs. “May the gods protect our emperor.”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Atlas's steps slowed as he moved away from the city. He found a spot among the trees where he believed he was hidden and safe. He had run through the night without knowing exactly where he was going.

  [The First Seal of Succession has been opened!]

  [Return to the starting point.]

  “The starting point,” Atlas muttered, looking at the dark forest. “I don't even remember how I got here, damn it.”

  But somehow, he felt he knew which way his body needed to go.

  Atlas remembered Baek Yisoo's last words: “Who are you?”

  “I am Atlas,” he whispered into the darkness. “And apparently, I'm a murderer now.”

  His hands were still shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was from fear or excitement. He looked up at the stars for a moment; there were no familiar constellations. Where had he really ended up? Could he go back? He knew this wasn't a dream.

  The fear he felt when he killed Baek Yisoo... The coldness of the metal and the excitement he felt while running away; it was all real.

  He walked toward the dark forest.

  As Atlas advanced into the dark forest, the trees around him grew denser. His footsteps made a soft crunching sound on the decaying leaves. The images of the moment he killed Baek Yisoo replayed over and over in his mind. He had killed a person. He still couldn't fully comprehend it.

  “I really have become a murderer,” Atlas thought, trudging forward with weary steps. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

  Suddenly, a blue light flashed before him. The light gradually expanded, revealing a holographic panel within. Atlas stopped and stared in astonishment. The panel glowed like glass in the night's darkness.

  [Succession Quest 1: First Blood - COMPLETED]

  [The First Seal of Succession Unlocked]

  [Rewards Awarded]

  Atlas read the panel carefully. Then another hologram appeared before him. This time, there was a larger, more detailed panel in front of him. Atlas squinted and began to read.

  [Spiritual Succession System]

  ‘Welcome, Atlas Sinclair.’

  ‘Are you ready to read the message your father left for you in the system?’

  Atlas said, “Yes,” his voice so low he could barely hear it himself.

  SINCLAIR DYNASTY - INTERDIMENSIONAL ASSASSIN SUCCESSION PROTOCOL

  [My dear son Atlas, If you are reading this message, you must have completed your first task and unlocked the first seal of the Succession. Congratulations. This is the beginning of a journey that will change the rest of your life.]

  [I, your father Raymond Sinclair, 3rd Leader of the Sinclair Dynasty and Grandmaster Dimensional Assassin, hereby pass this duty on to you. For centuries, our family has existed as a secret force maintaining order across dimensions.]

  [The Spiritual Succession is not merely an succession. It is a responsibility, a blessing, and also a curse. As a Dimension Assassin, you will travel between dimensions, eliminate specific targets, and help protect the dimensions.]

  [Each dimensional transition means a new body, a new identity, and a new mission for you. As you complete these missions, you will grow stronger, develop your abilities, and gain access to the deeper secrets of Spiritual Succession. Sometimes you will have to kill someone for reasons you cannot understand, and sometimes you will cause massacres.]

  [Know this, my son: this path will not be easy. Loneliness, pain, and doubt will be your constant companions. But remember, you are a Sinclair. You are the bearer of a centuries-old legacy.]

  [If you see this message, it means I am no longer in a position to train you. Still, if I lived long enough to pass this legacy on to you, it means my life was worth living.]

  [I will tell you a little about the Spiritual Succession System.]

  [This system was gifted to my grandfather, the first Dimension Assassin, by ####. It was to be used in difficult times to continue our legacy. My father and grandfather never needed to use it because they had the health and longevity to raise their own successors. However, the fact that you are relying on this system now means that I do not have those opportunities.]

  [The Spiritual Succession System will serve as a guide to make you a qualified dimension assassin. Practical applications, equipment, techniques, training... You will have access to all the heritage accumulated over three generations, as and when needed. Follow the system. Trust it. And when you fully inherit the legacy, train your own successor. I don't know which path you will choose, but my advice is to reach the Spiritual Temple as soon as possible. There you will find the training prepared for you by me, your grandfather, and your great-grandfather.]

  [And now, since you have taken your first step, I present to you the first gifts of the Succession.

  Your father,

  Raymond Sinclair,

  3rd Holder of the Succession.]