Prologue: The Fall
Kai Renhart lay crushed beneath the rubble of a collapsing building. His breath came in shallow gasps, the weight on his chest an unbearable reminder of his failure. Around him, the chaos of a dungeon break raged—monsters rampaging, hunters fighting desperately, and civilians screaming as they fled.
He tried to move, to claw his way free, but his frail F-rank body betrayed him. Blood dripped from his lips as his vision blurred.
**"This is it?"** he muttered bitterly. **"This is how I go out?"**
Memories of his pathetic life flashed before him like a cruel montage. Elaine, his girlfriend, laughing as she clung to Darius, his best friend. The humiliation of being the weakest hunter in his guild, scraping by on the lowest-tier missions. The sneering faces of stronger hunters, mocking his insignificance.
**"You're useless, Kai,"** Elaine's voice echoed in his mind, her words dripping with disdain. **"What could I ever do with someone like you?"**
Anger surged through him, but his body couldn't keep up. The world around him darkened as his consciousness began to fade.
Then came the silence.
Kai floated in an endless void, cold and dark. He wasn't afraid, only curious.
**"Is this death?"** he whispered, his voice swallowed by the emptiness.
A voice answered from within, deep and ancient, filled with a power that made the void itself tremble.
**"You have met the requirements."**
Kai's awareness sharpened. **"Requirements? For what?"**
**"The title of Bloodbound Shadow Ascendant. Your despair, betrayal, and death have forged the path. Do you accept this fate?"**
He clenched his fists in the void, the memories of betrayal and failure igniting a fire within him. **"What happens if I accept?"**
**"You will be reborn. Stronger. Cursed and blessed. The path will be yours to carve, but beware—power demands sacrifice."**
Kai didn't hesitate. **"I accept."**
The void shifted. A system interface appeared before him, its crimson text blazing against the darkness.
**Initializing Rebirth Protocol...**
**Binding Soul to Ascendant Class: Bloodbound Shadow.**
**Reincarnation initiated: 6 years prior.**
As the system's power enveloped him, Kai felt his soul being torn apart and remade. Pain gave way to clarity, and his last thought before the darkness faded was a promise.
**"This time, I'll take everything back. No one will stand in my way."**