It started with a single transaction.
Washington D.C. → Incheon International Airport
First-Class, Direct Flight
Passenger: Markus Tenebris
Registered Status: S-Class Mage (Independent Hunter)
Arrival Time: 11:45 AM, Local Time
The moment the airline confirmed his ticket, multiple security and intelligence systems flagged the name.
The Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS), South Korea's primary intelligence agency, was the first to take notice.
Markus Tenebris wasn't just an S-Class Hunter.
He was a former mercenary. He was linked to numerus assassinations. Wherever he traveled, someone usually ended up dead.
And now?
He was coming to Korea.
Within minutes, the NIS sent an urgent report to the Korean Hunter Association (KHA).
Chairman Go Gun-Hee had just finished reading through recent dungeon raid reports when his secure line rang.
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Now what?"
His assistant entered swiftly.
"Sir, we have a situation."
Go Gun-Hee looked up, already tired. "What kind?"
The man hesitated. "It's about the S-Class Hunter from America… Markus Tenebris."
That got his attention.
Go Gun-Hee put down his pen. "Speak."
The NIS flagged his arrival immediately.
They were already aware of his history as a mercenary.
Markus Tenebris wasn't just some powerful Hunter, he was a ghost.
The fact that he was arriving legally meant something was different this time.
Go Gun-Hee narrowed his eyes.
"Has he declared his purpose?"
"No, sir. But based on his record… when he travels, someone usually dies."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"…Send Woo Jin-Chul."
The assistant blinked. "Sir?"
Go Gun-Hee exhaled.
"We don't want to make this hostile. Just have him ask. Politely."
Markus stepped out of first-class, adjusting his black coat.
The flight had been smooth.
The service had been excellent.
And most importantly? He had done everything legally.
But the moment he entered the terminal, he felt it.
Dozens of eyes locked onto him.
KHA agents in plain clothes pretending to be civilians.
Journalists scanning the crowd, waiting for their target.
And a few too many government agents lurking in the background.
It was all so predictable.
Markus walked forward, completely at ease.
Then, it happened.
A female reporter, microphone in hand, pushed through the crowd.
"Mr. Tenebris! Mr. Tenebris!"
Markus paused, glancing down at her.
She was young, eager.
The moment his gaze locked onto her, she swallowed, but pushed forward.
"Why have you come to Korea?"
"Are you planning to join a guild?"
For a moment, Markus considered saying something completely ridiculous.
Then, he smiled.
Not just any smile.
The kind of smile that made people uneasy without knowing why.
His 2.15-meter frame loomed over her, his turquoise eyes gleaming with amusement.
And in the calmest voice possible, he said:
"…The weather."
The reporter blinked. "I, what?"
Markus gestured vaguely.
"It's lovely here."
And then, without another word, he walked away.
The news exploded within minutes.
"Mysterious S-Class Mage from America arrives in Korea."
"Independent Hunter Markus Tenebris refuses to answer questions, only comments on the weather."
"What is this man hiding?"
And Markus?
He enjoyed every second of it.
As Markus strode toward the airport exit, another presence approached.
A man in a dark suit, wearing tinted glasses, carrying himself with professional calm.
Woo Jin-Chul.
Chief Inspector of the KHA Surveillance Division.
Go Gun-Hee's right-hand man when it came to Hunter security.
The one person who could walk up to an S-Class Hunter without hesitation.
Markus immediately knew who he was.
Woo Jin-Chul stepped into his path, flashed his identification, and spoke in a polite yet firm tone.
"Mr. Tenebris. Welcome to Korea."
Markus paused. His smile didn't fade.
Woo Jin-Chul continued, completely calm.
"May I ask the reason for your visit?"
Markus tilted his head, amused.
Then, he casually looked back at the reporter who had just asked the same thing.
"…I'm a tourist."
Woo Jin-Chul didn't react.
Markus smiled wider.
Woo Jin-Chul nodded. "Then, enjoy your stay."
Markus gave him a two-fingered mock salute and continued walking.
Woo Jin-Chul stood in place for a moment before pulling out his phone.
"Chairman. He says he's a tourist."
A pause.
Go Gun-Hee sighed through the receiver. "Of course, he did."
Markus stood on the penthouse balcony, whiskey in hand, staring at the Seoul skyline. The city was vibrant, alive, and beneath its bright lights, a silent predator had returned.
Officially registered as an S-Class Hunter.
Korean Hunter Association (KHA) was monitoring him.
No one truly understood the extent of his power.
But before anyone could begin to question how he had reached this level so quickly…
Markus had already cemented himself at the top.
Before departing for the U.S., Markus had already stolen everything he needed from Korea's high-level dungeons.
Dungeons Cleared Before U.S. Departure:
Leviathan's Abyss – B-Class (Water Manipulation). (Submerged ruin, abyssal creatures.)
Tempest Tower – B-Class (Wind Manipulation). (Floating fortress, storm-infested battlefield.)
Infernal Catacombs – A-Class (Fire Manipulation). (Volcanic tunnels, molten terrain.)
Titan's Grave – S-Class (Earth Manipulation). (Underground labyrinth, seismic hazards.)
Results of the Raids:
Massive Stat Gains: 30% absorption per boss copy (120% total).
Elemental Growth: Copied Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire abilities.
Skill Evolution: His magic had started merging into something beyond standard elemental attacks.
By the time the Korean Hunter Association realized these gates were cleared and collapsing, he was already en route to the U.S.
Once in the U.S., Markus had turned Echoing Rift into his own personal hell.
Primary Objective: Forge himself into something beyond an S-Class.
Strategy: Use harvested monster cores to create never-ending war simulations.
Outcome: He refined everything, his combat instincts, magic efficiency, and undead coordination.
Each Rift Dungeon he created pushed his limits further.
Nightmare-Level Scenarios: He created high-tier Rift simulations, replicating elite-class battlefields.
Endless Combat: His undead legions fought tirelessly, adjusting to his refined commands.
Magic Refinement: The elemental abilities he had copied were used relentlessly, pushing his control to instinctual levels.
Final Outcome:
Flawless combat efficiency, no wasted movements, no excess mana loss.
Every fight fed his Soul Absorption, increasing his raw intelligence and mana pool.
His undead no longer just followed orders, they executed tactics.
By the time he returned to Korea, Markus was something far beyond an S-Class Mage.
Markus swirled his whiskey glass, then pulled up his status window.
The numbers made him smile sadly. Those uneven damn numbers.
📌 Final Status – Post Training
Name: Markus Tenebris
Level: 19
Hunter Rank: S-Class
Class: Mage
HP: 9,400 / 9,400
MP: 45,850 / 45,850
SP: 11,936 / 11,936
Strength: 658
Agility: 552
Endurance: 940
Intelligence: 1,834
Wisdom: 1,530
Luck: 315
Unused Stat Points: 135
Markus leaned back, thinking through the timeline of this world.
Nearly a month had passed since his transmigration.
Sung Jin-Woo had been progressing within his own system.
The world still didn't know about him.
Markus did a quick mental calculation of the original timeline.
Jin-Woo should now be inside the Demon Tower. (The System's first major test.)
The Hunter world still saw him as an E-Rank weakling.
The real storm was still brewing.
Jin-Woo wasn't a recognized anomaly yet.
But Markus was.
His Hunter Registration as an S-Class Mage had drawn global attention.
And the world was starting to notice.
Seoul – The Nightlife of the Elite
Markus had spent the last several days grinding, scheming, and strengthening himself beyond reason, but tonight?
Tonight, he relaxed.
Dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, he walked into Octagon Club one of Seoul's most exclusive nightclubs, a place reserved for celebrities, high-end executives, and of course, Hunters.
Dark lighting, electric atmosphere, music pulsing through the air. Neon glows mixed with the flash of expensive jewelry and tailored suits. The scent of luxury, top-shelf alcohol, perfume, the faint buzz of mana in the air.
Markus walked in, a towering presence of effortless charisma. He wasn't just another face in the crowd.
He was a Hunter. An S-Class, though no one here knew that.
They just saw a tall, silver-haired foreigner, exuding an aura of wealth and power.
And in a place like this?
That was all it took.
Markus wasn't the one approaching women.
They came to him.
A striking brunette, dressed in a tight black dress, her red lips curling into a smirk as she leaned against the bar beside him.
A sultry blonde, wearing something short, shimmering, with a playful glint in her eyes.
"You're not from around here," the brunette purred, her voice low and smooth.
"What gave it away?" Markus smirked, sipping his whiskey.
"The height. The way you carry yourself," the blonde added. "You're either an actor, a model, or… something more interesting."
Markus chuckled, swirling his drink. "Let's just say I travel a lot."
The conversation flowed easily. He didn't rush. Didn't need to.
The brunette, Eunji, was a corporate lawyer. Smart, confident, playful.
The blonde, Minseo, was a high-profile event planner, used to dealing with Seoul's elite.
They were both dangerous in their own ways, used to men chasing them, not the other way around.
And yet, with Markus, they leaned in first.
"So, Markus," Minseo murmured, tracing her finger along the rim of her glass. "Are we going to keep talking, or do you have more interesting plans?"
"Depends," Markus smirked, finishing his drink. "How adventurous are you both feeling tonight?"
Eunji grinned, sliding closer. "Oh, I like him."
Minseo laughed. "Let's get out of here."
The Penthouse – A Night of Indulgence
The luxury penthouse Markus had rented had floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the city skyline.
Dim lighting, the warm glow of the city below.
The sound of heels clicking against polished floors.
Soft music playing in the background, something slow, something deep.
Markus had never been a man who begged for attention.
But here, he didn't need to.
Eunji and Minseo had their hands on him first, pulling him toward the couch, their eyes gleaming with mischief.
"You know," Minseo whispered against his ear, "most men would be nervous with two of us."
Markus chuckled darkly, his hand tracing down her spine. "Then it's a good thing I'm not most men."
The drinks were forgotten.
The night stretched on, whispers, teasing, laughter.
A slow descent into something raw, indulgent, and utterly satisfying.
The Morning After – The Calm After the Storm
Markus woke up bathed in sunlight, the scent of warm skin and expensive perfume lingering in the air.
Beside him, Eunji and Minseo slept peacefully, their bare forms tangled in silk sheets.
Minseo curled against his side, her blonde hair sprawled over his chest.
Eunji draped over his other arm, her fingers on his skin even in sleep.
For a moment, Markus just lay there, letting himself enjoy the quiet.
This? This was balance.
Power by day.
Pleasure by night.
No attachments. No expectations. Just indulgence.
Minseo stirred, her lips brushing against his shoulder. "Mmm… morning, handsome."
Eunji smirked sleepily. "You're still here? Thought a man like you would disappear before dawn."
Markus chuckled. "What kind of host would I be if I left my guests unattended?"
Minseo sighed, stretching. "A gentleman. Dangerous and courteous. I like that."
Eunji yawned. "I'd say let's do breakfast, but I think you already exhausted me."
Markus smirked. "Then rest. You earned it."
He leaned back, staring out at Seoul's morning skyline.
The world didn't stop for moments like this.
But for now, he would let himself enjoy it.
Checking the System Shop – The Hunt for Power
Markus leaned back in the plush penthouse lounge, sipping a rich black coffee as he flicked through the System Shop's Dungeon Listings.
He had indulged.
He had enjoyed the pleasures of the night.
But power waited for no man.
"Let's see what's worth my time."
System Shop – Dungeon Listings
[Dungeons Available for Purchase]
C-Class: Sunken Ruins – 200 Gold
B-Class: Shadowfang Keep – 500 Gold
A-Class: Frostbound Citadel – 1,200 Gold
S-Class: Nightmare Arcane Spire – 2,000 Gold (LIMITED)
Markus' eyes sharpened. "Nightmare Arcane Spire."
A 20-floor high-difficulty Arcane Dungeon.
Arcane-based monsters.
High-tier magical loot.
Rare abilities waiting to be copied.
"Perfect."
[Purchase Confirmed – 2,000 Gold Deducted]
The moment he made the purchase, his System Map updated, a key appeared in his inventory, a new red dot appearing just outside of Seoul, nestled within an abandoned mountainous area.
A hidden, isolated location.
No records of its existence.
A perfect place to hunt without interruption.
Markus smirked. "This should be fun."
Morning Preparations – A Smooth Start to the Day
A hot shower, refreshing and clearing his mind.
A luxurious breakfast, eggs, toast, perfectly brewed coffee.
A final glance at his status window, confirming his power was at its peak.
He had no attachments.
No guild to report to.
No handlers tracking his every move.
This was his game, and he played it his way.
The red dot on his System Map led him deep into the outskirts of Seoul.
Silent Phantom activated, concealing his presence from any potential eyes.
Void Blink used intermittently, moving faster, avoiding unnecessary detection.
Korean Intelligence & HA's Agents? Easily evaded.
The location?
A remote, mountainous area.
An abandoned, overgrown temple ruin.
A place that had long since been forgotten by the world.
At the center of the ruins, hidden beneath layers of collapsed stone, a swirling black portal pulsed with unnatural energy.
Markus exhaled slowly.
"A 20-floor dungeon. High Arcane Difficulty. Let's see what's waiting for me inside."
[You Have Discovered: The Nightmare Arcane Spire]
Dungeon Difficulty: Nightmare
Floors: 20
Primary Energy Type: Arcane & Spatial Manipulation
Unique Rewards: ???
Markus smirked. "Time to work."
He stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the air warped, a silent pull dragging him into the unknown.