Exiting the Shadowed Labyrinth, Jisoo and Hana emerged into the twilight, the cold night air a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere of the dungeon. The Midnight Core Shard pulsed faintly in Jisoo's hand, its energy resonating with the Abyssal magic within him.
"Keep it secure," Hana advised, her voice firm. "That shard's valuable—and dangerous."
Kalix perched on Jisoo's shoulder, his grin wide. "Dangerous, indeed. That thing's not just a trophy. It's a stepping stone to power—assuming master doesn't fry himself trying to use it."
Jisoo studied the shard, its surface shimmering like liquid shadow. "What exactly can it do?" he asked.
"That depends on you," Kalix replied. "Feed it mana, and it'll amplify your abilities. But if you overextend, it'll take more than just energy."
Hana's eyes narrowed. "More than energy?"
Kalix's grin turned sharp. "A piece of your soul, maybe. Who's counting?"
Jisoo slipped the shard into his bag, its faint hum a constant reminder of its presence. "Then I'll use it carefully. Let's head back to the guild and report this."
The streets of the adventurer district were bustling even at this late hour. Merchants hawked their wares, their voices competing with the clamor of adventurers boasting of their exploits. Jisoo and Hana moved through the crowd, drawing curious glances.
It wasn't the mantle of success that caught attention but the faint, ominous glow seeping from Jisoo's bag.
"You're attracting more attention than I like," Hana muttered. "Keep your head down."
Jisoo adjusted his bag, trying to conceal the shard's glow. "Not much I can do about it. This thing's alive in a way."
A group of adventurers loitering near a tavern noticed them. One of them, a burly man with mismatched armor, sneered. "Hey, kid! What's that you're hiding?"
Hana stepped forward, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "None of your business."
The man's sneer deepened. "Easy there. We're just curious. That glow looks mighty valuable. Might be safer in more experienced hands."
Kalix chuckled softly, his voice just loud enough for Jisoo to hear. "Let me handle him. A little fire, a little fear…"
"Not yet," Jisoo muttered. "Let's not escalate."
The tension lingered until Hana took another step closer. Her eyes locked onto the man's, unwavering. "You've had your look. Move along."
After a moment, the man grunted and turned away, muttering under his breath. Hana exhaled softly, lowering her hand. "We can't afford to make enemies here. Not yet."
The Iron Fang Guild Hall was quieter than usual, its grand chamber illuminated by flickering sconces. Jisoo and Hana approached the receptionist, a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes who barely glanced up from her ledger.
"Reporting completion of the Shadowed Labyrinth," Hana said, sliding a small token across the desk.
The woman took the token, inspecting it before nodding. "Verified. Rewards will be processed shortly."
As she turned to retrieve their payment, another voice interrupted. "Interesting timing. I've been hearing things about you two."
A tall man in ornate armor approached, his silver hair catching the light. His presence commanded attention, and several adventurers nearby paused to watch the exchange.
"Who's asking?" Hana said warily.
"Captain Jeong, leader of the Crimson Wolves," the man replied. His tone was polite, but there was an edge to it. "Word travels fast in this district. A Demonologist surviving the Shadowed Labyrinth? That's rare."
Jisoo met Jeong's gaze, his grip on his staff tightening. "What do you want?"
Jeong smiled faintly. "Information. That shard you're carrying—it's Abyssal, isn't it? Dangerous artifact for someone so green."
"We're handling it," Hana said firmly. "Thanks for your concern."
Jeong's smile didn't waver. "I hope so. Artifacts like that attract attention, not all of it welcome. If you ever need… guidance, the Crimson Wolves are always open to talent." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake.
Kalix was the first to speak. "Guidance? That guy's dripping with ulterior motives."
Hana nodded. "We'll need to watch our backs. He's not the only one who'll be interested in the shard."
The next morning, Jisoo and Hana arrived at a small, secluded training ground on the edge of the district. The air was crisp, and the faint scent of damp earth lingered from a recent rain.
Hana drew her sword, the blade gleaming in the morning light. "We need to push your limits. If that shard's going to amplify your abilities, we have to know how far it can go."
Jisoo hesitated, the shard's faint hum echoing in his mind. "What if it… takes too much?"
Hana's gaze was steady. "Then we stop. But you have to try. We can't afford hesitation in the field."
Kalix flitted to a nearby perch, his grin sharp. "Oh, this is going to be fun. Let's see what the Abyss has in store for you, master."
Jisoo raised his staff, channeling mana into the shard. The smoky tendrils of Shadow Bind emerged, more substantial and forceful than before. He directed them at a training dummy, the chains wrapping around it and constricting tightly.
The energy surged, the shard's glow intensifying. For a moment, Jisoo felt invincible, the power coursing through him like a storm. But then the shard pulsed sharply, and a jolt of pain shot through his chest. He staggered, the tendrils dissipating.
Hana caught his arm, steadying him. "Are you okay?"
Jisoo nodded, though his breathing was labored. "It's strong… but it pushes back."
Kalix nodded approvingly. "The Abyss doesn't give freely, master. You take its power, and it takes something in return."
Hana frowned. "We'll need to pace your training. Push too hard, and the shard might consume you."
Jisoo straightened, determination hardening his expression. "I can handle it. Let's go again."
In the days following Jisoo's training session, the adventurer district grew tense. Whispers of dungeon breaches and high-tier rifts rippled through the city like wildfire. Notices plastered on guild boards detailed the emergence of dangerous anomalies—unstable portals that spat out waves of monsters without warning. The Shadowed Labyrinth and its mysteries felt like a distant memory.
Hana folded her arms, leaning against a wooden post outside the guild hall. "The rifts are escalating. It's only a matter of time before the guilds start conscripting adventurers for containment."
Kalix hovered nearby, his sharp grin softened by the tension in the air. "And guess who's going to be their newest target, master? People don't let a Demonologist with a fancy shard just hang around."
Jisoo adjusted his bag, the hum of the Midnight Core Shard a steady reminder of its presence. "We need to stay ahead of this. If the guilds call for help, it'll put us in the spotlight."
Hana nodded, her expression resolute. "Then we keep moving. Find the next dungeon, build your strength, and stay ahead of the chaos."
The breach near Busan was a recent development, and rumors about its nature varied wildly. Some claimed it was a gateway to an entirely new dungeon; others whispered of a portal to an uncharted dimension. Whatever the truth, the guilds had deemed it too unstable to ignore, and adventurers flocked to the area hoping to secure a share of its spoils.
Jisoo and Hana arrived at the edge of the breach's containment zone. A towering wall of shimmering energy encased the rift, flickering with faint arcs of lightning. Beyond it, the air was distorted, shapes twisting and shifting like a reflection in rippling water.
"The guilds are treating this like a quarantine," Hana observed, her hand resting on her sword. "They don't know what's on the other side."
Kalix's wings buzzed nervously. "Perfect place for an ambitious Demonologist to poke around. Let's just hope 'on the other side' doesn't mean instant death."
Jisoo approached the barrier, the shard's glow intensifying in response to the breach's energy. The sensation was both exhilarating and unnerving, as if the shard recognized the rift as kin.
"The shard's reacting," he murmured. "It's… drawing power from the breach."
Hana's gaze narrowed. "Then we use it to our advantage. Whatever's on the other side, we face it together."
Steeling themselves, they stepped through the barrier and into the unknown.