In the heart of the city, hidden beneath the looming structures and dimly lit streets, lied the Twilight Taproom – an unpopular bar owned by Han. The air inside was heavy with desperation, much like the owner himself.
"Haaa," a weary sigh escaped Han's lips as he surveyed the empty bar. "I wonder if I can get a customer today."
Just as the hopelessness began to settle, the door creaked open, revealing a mysterious figure. This man, with captivating amber eyes, disheveled black hair, and a faint scar on his face, exuded a charming yet determined aura.
'What the hell am I thinking?' Han slapped his face, attempting to shake off the momentary lapse, then greeted the man, "Hi, sir. What drink would you like?"
"Mm, then I'll order the Celestial Bloom Fizz," the man, Haruki, replied.
"Okay, sir. Please wait a while."
As Han expertly crafted the "Celestial Bloom Fizz," the meticulous process unfolded – the gin, elderflower liqueur, lavender syrup, fresh lemon juice, and egg white expertly shaken and mixed. Topped with soda water and garnished with precision, the drink promised a delightful and refreshing experience.
"Here it is, sir."
Haruki took a sip, nodding in approval. "Hmm, this is yummy."
"Thank you."
Completing his drink, Haruki handed over ten silvers and an additional five as a tip. "Well, that was delicious. I'll be taking my leave. Bye."
"Thank you for coming."
The brief respite shattered as the door burst open, ushering in three menacing figures.
"Umm, hi, sir," Han greeted the man in the middle. "What would you like to drink?"
"Nothing. I didn't come here to drink but to give you this."
Han accepted the paper, and his eyes widened as he read the ominous message: 'If you want to save your sister, you must prepare 100 gold within this week.'
"Earning 100 gold in a week is pretty much impossible!" Han complained, but his protests were met with violence as the men attacked him ruthlessly.
"You think you have the right to complain? Beat him up, and make sure to beat him half-dead!"
The merciless assault left Han battered and bruised, awakening later with pain coursing through his entire body.
"Damn it, that piece of shit of a father. Even in death, he still torments us," Han muttered, grappling with the harsh reality. "There's no way I can earn money with this body."
Forcing himself to stand, Han looked out the window, realizing the morning had already arrived. Amidst the absurdity of his circumstances, he chuckled bitterly.
"Haaa, only if I had the power, I could have changed my circumstances... Damn it!"
The painful memories of his mother, who died when his sister was born, resurfaced. Despite the desire to rest, Han couldn't afford it. Cleaning the mess from the night before, enduring the pain, he went out to buy groceries before heading to his sister's school.
"Sir, what did you come here for?" the guard inquired.
"I came to see my sister."
"I see, but why are you so beat up?"
"I got into an accident recently."
"Hmm, is that so?"
"So, where is your sister?"
"Her name is Alice."
"Alice... according to this record, she was out somewhere three days ago but hasn't returned." The revelation added another layer of concern to Han's already burdened heart.
In the following three days, Han desperately tried to earn the required 100 gold, managing only 5 gold from each part-time job. Returning home to his empty bar after finishing the day's work, he cleaned, hoping for a customer.
Then, the door opened, revealing Haruki, the same man who had given him a tip.
"What's your order, sir?" Han asked.
"The same one from the other day."
"Okay, sir."
"Here is your Celestial Bloom Fizz."
"Thanks. By the way, I didn't get your name. Mine is Haruki."
"Mine is Han."
"Why is this bar closed for two days?"
"That's because I got into an accident. It's really embarrassing to admit; I fell down the stairs."
"I see."
As the night unfolded, conversation flowed, and goodbyes were exchanged. With the passing week, a letter arrived, specifying when and where Han should hand over the money. Prepared, Han ventured to the location, unaware of the unfolding events at his bar.
Meanwhile, Haruki, visiting the bar, found it closed.
"Closed? Well, this is unfortunate. I guess I should go back to the inn now."
Returning to the inn, Haruki lay down, muttering, "I hope that Han didn't get himself into an accident this time." Closing his eyes to sleep, a part of his shadow manifested, setting out to find Han.
At the specified location, Han faced the demand for money.
"So, did you bring the money?" a fat man asked.
"Yes, it's here. So, where's my sister?" Han replied, revealing he had borrowed the money from the bank.
"Hey, Max, guide him!"
"Tch, follow me then."
Guided into the basement, Han confronted a horrifying scene – numerous women locked up.
"This is where she is locked up," the man declared, opening the door.
"Alice!" Han cried, witnessing his sister's tortured state.
"Hmm, big brother!?" Alice recognized him, her arms and legs bearing traces of torment.
"Han, you should have abandoned me," she whispered.
"What do you mean!?"
"This place is a sacrificial ground for the cult," she revealed.
After he finish guiding han he walk back to the first floor to report to his boss.
"Did you lock him in the cell?" the man inquired.
"Yes, sir. So, what do we do now?" a subordinate asked.
"Sacrifice them, of course. Also, tell the mages that the sacrifices are ready!"
In the basement cell han and his sister continue their conversation "are you talking about the Dark God cult?" Han's sister, Alice, nodded in confirmation. "You and I have been selected as sacrifices because we have the blood of the hero in our veins."
"But how do you know that?" Han questioned.
"Don't you remember the stories that Mom used to tell us?" Alice reminded him. "The hero sealed the god with flesh and blood!"
"Meaning they want to create a key using the blood and flesh of the descendants of the hero," she explained.
Suddenly, the ground lit up, causing immense pain that made Han and Alice fall to the ground. The painful ritual continued for a while.
""Alice, what's happening to your body?" Han's voice trembled with desperation as he watched his sister fade away, each passing moment carving a painful void.
"Sorry, brother. It seems like the ritual has begun," Alice's faint whisper carried a weight of sorrow that hung heavily in the air.
"Alice!"
As the ethereal light dissipated, Han was left with a key fashioned from blood and flesh—a cruel remnant of his beloved sister.
"Alice?" Han's anguish erupted in a heart-wrenching cry, tears flowing unrestrained.
"If only I had power, this wouldn't have happened to us!" Han's words echoed with frustration, a raw admission of his helplessness.
"Damnit, damnit, damnit!" Han's fists pounded the ground, the physical pain a futile attempt to mask the emotional turmoil within.
On the brink of losing consciousness, Han glimpsed a shadow extending its hand—a silent promise of aid. Despite initial suspicion, the yearning for revenge overwhelmed him, and Han seized the shadow creature's hand, desperate for any glimmer of hope.
""Help me." With that desperate plea, the creature merged seamlessly with Han. The excruciating pain that once plagued him dissipated, replaced by newfound strength. A mysterious panel materialized before Han, revealing the transformation that had taken place.
**Han**
- Level: 1
- HP: 3000+(1000)
- MP: 3500+(1000)
- Skills: Shadow Manipulation, Mind Control, Limit Breaker.
- Attribute: Hero Blood (Awakened)
- Servant Contract: You made a pact with the kin of a god; now, you must heed his commands.
Empowered by a fusion with this enigmatic entity, Han stood at the threshold of a new existence, marked by abilities beyond mortal comprehension. The echoes of a divine contract resonated within him, binding him to the whims of a god's kin.
"Finally, we can free the lord from his prison," a group of men arrived at the scene.
"Why are you still alive!?" one of them exclaimed.
In a flash, Han use his shadow manipulation to conjure a sword then he moved with deadly precision, severing the ties of the goons' lives and leaving the chaos of the bar behind. The once-threatening adversaries now lay lifeless, mere echoes in the shadows of Moonlight Night Bar. Yet, their leader remained, a puppet awaiting the strings of Han's judgment.
With the leader in tow, Han descended to the basement, where the air bore witness to the suffering of the imprisoned women. A silent question hung in the dimly lit space.
"Do you want revenge?" Han inquired, the weight of retribution heavy in his voice.
Their collective nod signaled a shared yearning for justice. Han, acknowledging their silent plea, presented the man responsible for their torment.
"Here he is. But first, I should remove those chains before I get back to dealing with the remaining goons." Han's movements were deliberate, a calculated dance of retribution. He immobilized the man, punctuating the act with a stab to each limb, before unceremoniously throwing him into a cell, a temporary cage for a condemned soul.
"What did you do to me?" the man groaned, his arrogance replaced with genuine fear.
"Enjoy your revenge," Han's response echoed through the damp confines of the cellar, a prelude to the impending reckoning.
The man, once defiant, attempted a desperate threat. "What are you doing? I'm an acquaintance of the Wolf Gang. If you dare touch me, they'll go after your family." The words were a feeble attempt to salvage some semblance of control.
However, his bravado crumbled swiftly as the room bore witness to a macabre symphony of vengeance. The imprisoned women, now both victims and arbiters of their fate, stepped onto the man's wounded limbs, their actions guided by a collective desire for retribution. Chains became instruments of punishment, and metal handcuffs wielded the wrath of those who had endured too much.
Thirty minutes of unrelenting torment unfolded, a poetic justice painted in the agonized cries of the guilty. The man's life met its violent crescendo, beaten to death by those who had suffered under his reign of cruelty.
As the final echoes of retribution subsided, the basement returned to an eerie silence, its secrets absorbed by the shadows that bore witness to the unfolding drama.
Meanwhile, on the first floor, the dimly lit room of Moonlight Night Bar witnessed Han's unleashed power. He manipulated the minds of the goons, turning them against each other in a chaotic frenzy. It was a macabre dance, orchestrated by the shadows themselves. The bar, once a haven of shadows and quiet conversations, now echoed with the desperate screams of those manipulated into violence.
As the turmoil on the first floor reached a gruesome crescendo, Han ascended to the second floor. Here, the goons were clad in armor and wielded weapons, but even their defenses proved futile against the eerie prowess of Han's shadow. His silhouette moved with a fluid grace, shadows extending like tendrils to pierce through armor and flesh alike. The room became a battlefield of shadows and steel, concluding with the lifeless bodies of the defeated littering the floor.
In the aftermath of the frenetic conflict that unfolded in Moonlight Night Bar, Han found a moment of respite. The air, heavy with the echoes of chaos, began to settle. His sister, Alice, was dead, the perpetrators of their suffering lay defeated, and an enigmatic sense of power coursed through him.
As Han stepped over the fallen bodies, his senses tingled with newfound energy. Shadows flickered around him, responding to the heightened connection he now shared with the shadow creature. It was then, in the midst of the dimly lit bar, that a subtle transformation began.
His mind, an intricately woven tapestry of experiences and hardships, resonated with the promise of potential. The ethereal interface, a manifestation of his leveled-up status, materialized before him. The panel displayed:
**Han**
- Level: 5 → 8
- HP: 3000+(1000) → 4500+(1500)
- MP: 3500+(1000) → 5000+(1500)
- Skills: Shadow Manipulation, Mind Control, Limit Breaker, Soul Bond
- Attribute: Hero Blood (Awakened)
- Servant Contract: You made a pact with the kin of a god; now, you must heed his commands.
The numbers and abilities on the panel shifted, reflecting the profound growth Han had achieved. The mastery of his skills deepened, and a new skill, Soul Bond, emerged as a testament to the connection forged with the shadow creature.
An aura of empowerment enveloped Han, a tangible representation of the strength he had drawn from the shadows. It was a pivotal moment, marking his evolution into a more formidable force in the face of the challenges that lay ahead.
With a sense of accomplishment, Han turned to the shadow creature, seeking guidance.
"There are currently one hundred and nine people in my stomach. Make your wish," the creature intoned.
"Please revive my sister," Han pleaded with a desperation born of love.
"Understood."
The atmosphere crackled with latent power as ethereal light gathered in front of Han. It gradually coalesced into a human form until, finally, the light dissipated, revealing Han's resurrected sister. Her eyes flickered open.
"Brother?" Alice's voice held a mix of confusion and relief as Han enveloped her in a tearful hug.
Allowing his sister the respite she deserved, Han, driven by the necessity of their survival, ventured into the storage room. There, amidst forgotten barrels and dusty bottles, he began looting every gold coin he could find. With each clinking of metal against metal, his shadow absorbed the wealth, storing it for future use.
As the weight of their harrowing experience settled, Han couldn't help but inquire about the enigmatic little shadow that had become an integral part of his newfound abilities.
"Little shadow, where did you come from?" Han's query hung in the air, awaiting an explanation.
In response, the little shadow chose not words but memories. It projected images, a glimpse into its origin and how it came to be. The scenes unfolded like a haunting narrative, weaving a tale of shadows and ancient contracts.
"I hope that Han didn't get himself into an accident this time," Haruki remarked with genuine concern for his newfound friend.
"Haruki, I see. It was thanks to you," Han acknowledged, recognizing the role Haruki unwittingly played in this strange twist of fate.
"I promise that I will repay all of my debts to you," Han vowed, a pact sealed in the shadows of the bar. The night, shrouded in mysteries and newfound powers, unfolded like a cryptic tapestry.