Chereads / The Hunter's Shadow / Chapter 3 - CHAPTER 3: THE INVESTIGATOR

Chapter 3 - CHAPTER 3: THE INVESTIGATOR

Kael lay in his hospital bed, mind still spinning from the events of the dungeon. He had survived, but the how and why were shrouded in mystery. His memories of the fight were fragmented: the roar of the monster, the rush of power that coursed through him, the way the world seemed to blur. Yet here he was, alive.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and a tall figure strode into the room. The man wore a dark suit, tailored and immaculate, his posture radiating authority. His gaze was sharp, his face expressionless.

"Kael, I'm Investigator Silas from the Hunter Association," he said, his voice calm yet commanding. "I'm here to investigate what happened in the dungeon."

Kael nodded slowly, unsure of what to expect. There was something about Silas—an air of quiet menace that set Kael on edge, as if the man could see through him, reading his every thought.

"I understand," Kael said, his voice still raspy. "I was with a hunting party when we entered the dungeon. But something went wrong. The boss… it was unlike anything I've ever seen."

He spoke cautiously, recounting the events leading up to the fight, but deliberately avoiding any mention of the awakening—the surge of power, the system notifications, the abilities he had used. He wasn't ready to reveal that yet, not to someone he didn't fully trust.

Silas listened intently, his eyes narrowing as he processed every detail. He asked precise, probing questions about the other hunters, the layout of the dungeon, and the behavior of the monster. Kael answered carefully, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the investigator knew more than he was letting on.

"And the boss monster," Silas said, his tone shifting slightly, "you said it spoke?"

Kael hesitated, his heart pounding. "Yes. It was intelligent. It mocked us… like it knew exactly what we were doing. It was playing with us."

"A talking monster, in an E-rank dungeon?" Silas arched an eyebrow, skepticism in his voice. "That's unheard of."

"I know what I saw," Kael insisted, the memory of the creature's voice sending a chill down his spine. "It was aware of us, of what we could do. It wasn't just mindless like the others."

Silas remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. "That's… unusual. It could be a sign of a spacetime distortion—a phenomenon that warps the dungeon's rank, making it more dangerous than expected."

As Silas spoke, Kael suddenly felt a strange sensation, a prickling at the back of his mind. He blinked, and there it was—a translucent window hovering above Silas's head, displaying data.

[Hunter: Silas]

[Level: Undetermined (Level Gap)]

[Job: Investigator, Hunter Association]

[Skills: Enhanced Perception, Tracking, Investigation]

Kael's breath caught in his throat. He had seen something similar after the battle with the boss monster—a window displaying his own status. But this was different. He was seeing someone else's information.

"What is this?" Kael whispered, staring at the floating text.

Silas turned to him, his eyes narrowing. "What?"

"I can see it," Kael stammered, pointing toward the space above Silas's head. "There's a window, showing your status."

Silas's expression darkened. He took a step closer, his voice dropping. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," Kael said, panic rising in his chest. "But it's there. I can see your level, your skills. It's like—"

"Stop," Silas interrupted, his tone sharp and commanding. "What you're describing is impossible."

Kael's heart raced as he stared into Silas's cold, calculating eyes. He felt the power within him stirring again, as if the system itself was responding to his fear.

"Status window!" Kael shouted, hoping to make sense of the chaos in his mind.

His own status window appeared before him, just as it had in the dungeon.

[Job: Jobless]

[Title: The One Who Overcame Adversity, The Chosen One]

[Strength: 15]

[Agility: 18]

[Stamina: 12]

[Mana: 25]

[Skills: Basic Combat, Energy Manipulation, Healing, Enhanced Agility]

The words burned into his mind, a stark reminder of the power that now flowed through him. He was different. He wasn't just a survivor of the dungeon. He was something more.

Before Kael could process the information, the door creaked open. His sister, Lia, stepped into the room, her face etched with worry. She rushed to his side, her eyes scanning his face for any sign of distress.

"Kael," she whispered, relief evident in her voice. "Are you okay?"

Kael glanced at her, and once again, the status window appeared.

[Name: Lia]

[Job: None]

[Title: …]

[Strength: 5]

[Agility: 8]

[Stamina: 10]

[Mana: 0]

Kael's heart sank. His sister's status was a cruel reminder of her fragility. He couldn't let anything happen to her, not now. Not ever.

"I'm okay," Kael said softly, forcing a smile. "I'm going to be alright."

Lia smiled back, though her eyes were filled with concern. "I knew you would be," she said quietly.

Kael turned to Silas, whose expression had grown even more unreadable. The investigator's eyes flicked between Kael and Lia, suspicion written on his face.

"Kael," Silas said slowly, his tone measured, "you're not telling me everything, are you?"

Kael hesitated. He knew that revealing too much could put him—and Lia—in danger. But he also knew that whatever power had awakened within him was real, and the Hunter Association would be interested.

"I don't fully understand it myself," Kael admitted, choosing his words carefully. "But something happened in that dungeon. Something that changed me."

Silas nodded, his gaze still cold and calculating. "We'll be keeping a close eye on you, Kael. The Hunter Association doesn't take anomalies lightly."

Kael swallowed hard. He had a feeling that Silas wasn't just here to investigate the dungeon. The Hunter Association was watching him, and whatever he had awakened, it had drawn their attention.

As Silas turned to leave, Kael felt the weight of the unknown pressing down on him. He had unlocked a power he didn't understand, a power that could change everything.

But with that power came danger—danger to himself, and to those he loved.

He looked at Lia, her face calm now, and knew that he would do whatever it took to protect her. He needed answers, and he needed control. Because whatever destiny awaited him, he couldn't face it unprepared.

The system's power had chosen him, but the choice of how to wield it would be his alone.