Jinhyuk gasped for breath, his body still trembling from the pain of his awakening. He was no longer in the arena. The battlefield had faded, replaced once again by the endless void.
And standing before him—watching him with those piercing silver eyes—was the Forgotten.
The hooded figure remained motionless, his presence like a storm trapped in human form. He exuded a power so overwhelming that Jinhyuk felt like an ant standing before a god.
"You survived."
The Forgotten's voice was deep, ancient, carrying the weight of countless centuries. There was no praise, no warmth—just a simple statement of fact.
Jinhyuk clenched his fists, forcing himself to meet that gaze. "I did."
A silence stretched between them. Then, the Forgotten tilted his head slightly.
"Tell me, mortal… do you understand what you have taken?"
Jinhyuk frowned. He glanced at his hands, feeling the new power thrumming beneath his skin. He didn't know its full extent yet, but it was there—something different, something vast.
"…A power over illusions," he said cautiously.
The Forgotten let out a low, amused chuckle.
"Illusions? Is that what you believe it to be?"
Jinhyuk felt a chill crawl down his spine. What the hell does he mean by that?
The Forgotten stepped closer. His presence warped the space around him—as if reality itself struggled to contain his existence.
"The power you have inherited is not mere trickery. It is not deception. It is the ability to alter perception itself—to mold what is seen, heard, and felt."
"It is the power to make illusions… reality."
Jinhyuk's breath hitched.
Make illusions reality?
That… that was different.
The Forgotten continued, his voice steady.
"But power alone is meaningless. It is the hand that wields it that decides its worth. And now, you must make a choice."
Jinhyuk narrowed his eyes. Here it comes.
"The gift I have given you comes at a cost. A burden. You stand at the threshold of something greater—but you must decide whether to step forward… or turn away."
Jinhyuk swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What's the catch?"
The Forgotten studied him for a long moment before answering.
"The world you knew is too small for what you have become. This power will set you apart… and it will set you against those who seek to control it."
"There will be those who fear you. There will be those who wish to use you. And there will be those who will try to destroy you before you become a threat."
Jinhyuk exhaled sharply. He had just wanted to become a stronger hunter… not step into some grand war.
The Forgotten's silver eyes burned with something unreadable.
"So tell me, mortal… now that you know the cost—"
The void around them shuddered.
"Do you accept your fate?"
Jinhyuk stood frozen. His mind raced. Could he handle this? Was he ready?
He had been weak his whole life. Looked down on. Rejected. And now, he had a chance to stand at the top.
Was there even a choice?
Jinhyuk clenched his jaw and took a step forward.
"…I accept."
The Forgotten's lips curled into the slightest hint of a smirk.
"Then may you never regret this choice."
And with that—the world shattered.
Jinhyuk's consciousness snapped back to reality.
His trial was over.
But his true battle… had only just begun.
---
Jinhyuk's mind reeled as he snapped back to reality.
The void, the Forgotten, the trial—it all vanished in an instant, like waking from a dream. But the moment his consciousness returned, a searing pain jolted through his body.
His vision blurred, his ears rang, and the unmistakable stench of blood and iron filled his nose.
A deep, guttural roar shook the air.
The Hobgoblin.
It stood just a few meters away, its massive green-skinned frame hunched, muscles coiled with raw power. Its beady yellow eyes locked onto Jinhyuk, filled with bloodlust.
And it was already mid-swing.
The creature's rusted iron club came crashing down toward him.
Jinhyuk's instincts screamed. His body reacted before his mind could catch up—
Dodge!
He rolled to the side just in time. The ground where he had been standing exploded in a shower of shattered rock, dust billowing into the air.
"Jinhyuk!"
A familiar voice—Kang Jisoo.
Jinhyuk barely had a second to process his surroundings.
His hunting party was still locked in battle.
Kang Jisoo stood at the forefront, his sword gleaming under the dungeon's dim light, blood splattered on his jacket.
Sooyoung was off to the side, spear held defensively, breathing hard.
The crossbow-wielding young man had taken a position on a nearby ledge, already loading another bolt.
And all of them looked at Jinhyuk with disbelief.
"You're still alive?!" Sooyoung shouted. "How the hell—?"
Jinhyuk exhaled, his heartbeat thundering in his chest. He didn't have time to explain.
Because the Hobgoblin was already charging again.
But something was different.
Jinhyuk felt it—the new power coursing through him.
The Forgotten's words echoed in his mind.
"It is the power to make illusions… reality."
He had no idea how far he could push this ability.
But now was the time to find out.
A New Power, A New Battle
Jinhyuk took a deep breath and focused.
The Hobgoblin swung its massive club in a horizontal arc, aiming to crush him.
Jinhyuk stepped forward.
Instead of dodging—he created an illusion.
A perfect copy of himself appeared in front of the Hobgoblin, standing completely still.
The beast's eyes flashed with murderous glee as it smashed its club into the illusion.
But the club passed right through.
The Hobgoblin stumbled forward, confused.
Jinhyuk used that opening.
With a surge of adrenaline, he darted to the side and kicked off the ground, twisting mid-air.
[System Alert: 'Lord of Illusions' activated.]
A second illusion materialized—this time of a phantom spear, soaring toward the Hobgoblin's chest.
The beast snarled, instinctively raising its arm to block.
Big mistake.
Jisoo lunged in from behind, his blade flashing as he slashed across the Hobgoblin's exposed ribs.
The monster screamed in pain, staggering.
"Did he just—?" Sooyoung's eyes widened in shock.
Jinhyuk landed smoothly, his breathing controlled. His illusions weren't just distractions anymore.
They could manipulate an enemy's instincts—force them into mistakes.
And that was only the beginning.
Turning the Tide
The Hobgoblin wasn't dead yet. It roared, furious, wounded—but still dangerous.
Jinhyuk didn't hesitate. He raised his hand—this time, focusing harder.
[Illusion Magic: Doppelgänger]
Three more phantoms of himself appeared around the Hobgoblin, each taking a different stance.
The beast snarled in frustration, unable to tell which was real.
That was all the opening Jisoo needed.
With a sharp battle cry, he rushed in, blade flashing.
At the same time, the crossbowman fired a bolt straight into the Hobgoblin's exposed thigh.
The monster screamed—staggered—and then Sooyoung's spear plunged straight into its neck.
The Hobgoblin gurgled, choking on its own blood.
It swayed… then collapsed.
A moment of silence.
Then—
[System Alert: D-Class Dungeon Boss Defeated!]
Jinhyuk let out a long breath. His limbs felt heavy, his body sore, but his mind was thrumming with energy.
He had done it.
Not just survived—but changed the flow of battle.
His illusions were no longer just tricks.
They were weapons.
Aftermath
"Jinhyuk…"
Kang Jisoo approached him, sword still dripping with monster blood. His expression was unreadable.
"What… was that?"
Jinhyuk hesitated. He couldn't tell them the whole truth. Not yet.
So, he forced a tired smile. "Just got lucky."
Jisoo narrowed his eyes but didn't press.
Sooyoung, still catching her breath, let out a small chuckle. "Lucky, my ass. You were holding out on us."
The crossbowman just shook his head. "Whatever it was… it worked."
Jinhyuk glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers.
His journey had just begun.
And for the first time—he felt like he had a real chance.