After Sarah's ominous words about survival, I felt a rare tug of responsibility. Not that I was about to become a hero or anything—but I couldn't ignore the sense of something brewing just beneath the surface of the hunter world.
So I did what I did best: I started digging.
---
The Mystery of the Shadow Beasts
It started with whispers. Hunters at the taverns muttered about sightings of shadow-like creatures far beyond Korea. Japan, America, even parts of Europe were reporting unusual phenomena near dungeons. But the kicker? These things weren't confined to gates anymore. They'd been seen outside—anomalies breaking the rules of the world.
One hunter's offhand comment caught my attention.
"You know about the Rising Sun Gate, right? People say something came out of it—something big. But that S-Rank from Korea handled it solo. Jin-something…"
I filed the information away. Everyone knew about Sung Jinwoo by now—he was practically a celebrity. But there was more to this story. Every shadow-related incident somehow seemed tied to him, directly or indirectly.
"Sean?" Sarah's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
We were sitting in a crowded market in Seoul, where Sarah was sharpening her katana while I worked on a new con—selling fake "enchanted" accessories to rookie hunters.
"Hmm?" I said distractedly, still piecing together connections.
"You're quiet," she said, narrowing her eyes. "That's never a good sign."
"I'm just thinking," I replied, handing a cheaply made bracelet to an eager hunter for triple its actual value. "Shadow creatures popping up everywhere? Sounds like something big is happening."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "And? What's your angle?"
"My angle? I don't have one—yet," I said with a grin. "But if something's brewing, there's money to be made. Or at least leverage."
"Leverage won't save your life if you don't understand what you're dealing with," she warned.
"Good thing I've got you to handle the dangerous part," I said cheekily.
She didn't respond, but the look she gave me spoke volumes.
---
The Secret Beneath Seoul
Not long after, we stumbled upon an opportunity too strange to ignore: a hidden dungeon beneath the heart of Seoul. It wasn't listed on any Association registry, and its entry wasn't marked by the usual swirling gate. Instead, it was disguised as an unassuming maintenance tunnel.
"Something doesn't feel right about this," Sarah said as we descended into the depths.
"That's how I know we're onto something good," I replied, shining my flashlight ahead.
The air grew colder as we ventured deeper, the oppressive darkness pressing in on all sides. The only sound was the faint clinking of Sarah's armor and the occasional drip of water from unseen cracks in the walls.
Eventually, we came to a cavern lit by faint, otherworldly light. In its center stood a strange monolith, carved with symbols that pulsed faintly with dark energy.
"What is that?" Sarah asked, gripping her sword tightly.
"No idea," I admitted. "But it looks expensive."
As I approached the monolith, an icy chill ran down my spine. My hand brushed one of the glowing runes, and a voice—not quite a voice, but more like a thought—spoke directly into my mind.
"You do not belong here."
I staggered back, clutching my head.
"What's wrong?" Sarah demanded, rushing to my side.
"There's something…alive in that thing," I said, pointing at the monolith. "It spoke to me."
"Spoke? Sean, what are you talking about?"
Before I could respond, the monolith began to shift, its glowing runes intensifying. Shadows spilled out of it, coalescing into a towering figure—a creature of pure darkness, its form constantly shifting and distorting.
Sarah immediately stepped in front of me, her sword at the ready.
"Sean, get back," she ordered.
For once, I didn't argue.
---
The Awakening
The shadow creature didn't attack immediately. Instead, it loomed over us, its empty eyes seeming to focus on Sarah.
"You wield a blade…unworthy," it intoned, its voice resonating through the cavern.
Sarah tightened her grip on her katana. "Unworthy? I'll show you unworthy."
She charged, her sword glowing as she unleashed a flurry of strikes. But no matter how precise her attacks were, the creature absorbed them like water rippling around a stone.
"It's not working!" she yelled, her frustration mounting.
"That's because you're not supposed to fight it!" I shouted, finally piecing it together. "This thing—it's a test!"
"A test?" Sarah snapped.
"Yeah! Or a puzzle, or a… Look, I don't know! Just stop hitting it for a second!"
Reluctantly, she lowered her sword. The creature didn't react; it simply stood there, its presence an oppressive weight.
I approached the monolith again, carefully avoiding its shadowy guardian. As I examined the runes, I realized they weren't just random carvings—they were instructions.
"Light dispels shadow…" I muttered, reading one of the symbols.
"What does that mean?" Sarah asked.
"It means we need light. Lots of it."
"And how are we supposed to get that down here?"
I grinned. "You're gonna love this."
Pulling a handful of glowstones from my pack—leftovers from one of my earlier scams—I arranged them around the monolith. As their light grew stronger, the creature began to weaken, its form flickering like a candle in the wind.
"Finish it, Sarah!" I shouted.
With a nod, she charged forward, her blade gleaming with mana. This time, the creature couldn't resist. With a single, decisive strike, Sarah shattered the shadow guardian into nothingness.
---
The Artifact
As the creature dissipated, the monolith crumbled, revealing a strange artifact within—a black crystal pulsing faintly with power.
"What is that?" Sarah asked warily.
"No idea," I said, picking it up despite her protests. "But I bet it's worth a fortune."
"You can't just sell everything we find," she said, exasperated.
"Why not? It's how we survive," I replied. "And besides…" I trailed off, staring at the crystal as an unsettling thought took hold.
This was no ordinary treasure. Whatever we'd found, it was tied to the larger events unfolding in the world—and to the growing shadow of Sung Jinwoo himself.
And whether we liked it or not, our discovery had just painted a massive target on our backs.