Pain.
A raw, searing pain unlike anything Dylan had ever felt before tore through his body, threatening to consume him whole. His veins burned like molten iron, his muscles convulsed, and his bones groaned under the pressure of something new, something unnatural taking root inside him.
The world around him had vanished.
No screams. No battle. No monster.
Only darkness.
Then—
[ System Initialization Complete. ]
A sudden flood of information surged into his mind, nearly overwhelming him.
[ Welcome, User. You have formed a Contract. ]
[ System: Synchronising Information... ]
[ Generating First Authority… ]
Dylan gasped, clutching his chest as something inside him shifted. His heartbeat was no longer his own—it pulsed with something deeper, something ancient. The shadows that had wrapped around him before now pulsed like living creatures, slithering across his arms, sinking into his skin.
And then—
BOOM!
Reality slammed back into place.
The beast's massive claw crashed down where Dylan had been moments ago, but instead of crushing him—
It passed through.
No, not through. Around.
The shadows had wrapped around Dylan's body like a shield, dispersing the impact, making him intangible for a split second before solidifying once more.
The monster snarled, its red eyes flickering with confusion.
So did Dylan.
What… just happened?
[ New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step ]
[ Allows the user to momentarily become intangible by merging with surrounding shadows. Activation time: 0.5 seconds. Cooldown: 5 seconds. ]
A skill?
His mind reeled. This wasn't just an ability. It was structured, almost like a… game system.
"Dylan!"
A voice snapped him out of his trance.
Kenzo stood a few feet away, battered and bloody, his sword glowing with unstable energy. Around him, other Hunters lay motionless, some groaning in pain, others not moving at all.
Kenzo's eyes widened when he saw Dylan.
"What the hell—?"
Dylan didn't answer. He couldn't. The beast was still there, its focus now locked onto him. The moment of hesitation was over.
It lunged.
MOVE!
Dylan's instincts screamed, and before he could even think—
His body reacted.
[ Shadow Step Activated. ]
His vision blurred. The world tilted. And suddenly, he was behind the beast.
Kenzo's expression twisted in disbelief. "What—?"
Dylan staggered, gripping his head as vertigo threatened to consume him. His body still felt foreign, as if it wasn't entirely his. But he had no time to process it. The monster was already turning again, its massive bulk shifting with unnatural speed.
I need a weapon.
As if responding to his thoughts, the shadows around his hands twisted, shifting into a solid shape—
[ New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Fang ]
[ Weapon Creation - Form: Dagger ]
A dark, jagged dagger formed in his grip, pulsing with the same eerie energy now coursing through him. The weight felt natural, almost familiar, despite never wielding anything like it before.
The beast lunged again.
Dylan moved.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't slow.
He ducked under the incoming claw, twisted his body, and slashed—
The dagger tore through the beast's armor like paper.
A deep, black wound opened along its side, not bleeding, but decaying—as if the darkness itself was eating away at it.
The monster howled, stumbling back, its form already beginning to dissolve.
[ Beast Defeated. Exp Gained: 400. ]
Dylan panted, staring at his own hands. His mind raced, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
He… won?
He actually won?
A slow, eerie silence settled over the battlefield. The surviving Hunters—what few remained—stared at Dylan with expressions ranging from shock to fear.
Kenzo stepped forward, his grip tightening on his sword. His gaze locked onto Dylan, suspicion and something else—something dangerous—flickering in his eyes.
"What the hell are you?"
Dylan swallowed, the weight of the situation crashing down on him.
He wasn't just a weak Hunter anymore.
Something had changed.
And whatever it was, it had only just begun.
---