Kang Min-jae's pulse thundered, the Shadow Gate's obsidian surface churning with dark energy that clawed at his senses. The Veil of Trials' labyrinth loomed, its jagged spires piercing a starless void, their runic etchings pulsing like dying embers. The air was a suffocating shroud, thick with an acrid stench that burned his throat and coated his tongue with decay. His arm throbbed, the spider's claw from the last trial leaving a raw, stinging gash beneath his torn school uniform. The Shadow Spark within him—raw, untamed—buzzed like a caged storm, urging him toward the Gate's pull. Eun-ha's chilling words echoed: "Your humanity, maybe. Or your soul." They sank into his bones, a warning he couldn't shake.
Tae-ho, the red-haired seventeen-year-old, slouched against a spire, his amber eyes glinting with disdain. Scars on his hands glowed faintly, flames licking his fingertips. "Scared, kid?" he sneered, voice dripping with mockery. "Run back to your crayons. Shadows eats weaklings like you."
Min-jae's fists clenched, the shadow dagger in his hand flickering with black aura. "Keep talking," he spat, his voice cracking but laced with defiance. Tae-ho's taunts were a spark to his kindling anger, but Eun-ha's presence—silent, predatory—unnerved him more. Her silver eyes, sharp as shattered glass, watched him, her black robe swaying in the still air like a living shadow. Her faint smirk hinted at secrets, as if she already knew his choice.
The Gate's hum grew deafening, vibrating through Min-jae's chest like a second heartbeat. He was just a twelve-year-old, a boy who dreamed of painting, not battling monsters in a nightmare world. The memory of the truck's roar, the bone-crushing impact, and his mother's face—"Mom… I'm sorry…"—surged, steeling his resolve. He'd survived the shadow wolf, the spiders. He wouldn't let Shadows break him.
Taking a shaky breath, he stepped forward. The Gate's energy erupted, swallowing him whole.
Darkness consumed him, cold and viscous, like plunging into a tar-black ocean. His lungs screamed, unable to breathe, until a jagged violet light tore through the void. He crashed onto a platform of polished black stone, the impact jarring his knees. The platform floated in an infinite abyss, its edges crumbling into a churning sea of shadows below. Whispers—hundreds, thousands—slithered from the depths, a chorus of hunger and malice that clawed at his mind. Above, violet stars glared, their light not warm but accusatory, as if peeling back his soul. The air crackled with electric tension, every breath a struggle against its weight.
Min-jae staggered to his feet, his sneakers slipping on the stone's slick surface. His torn uniform clung to his sweat-drenched skin, the gash on his arm oozing warmth. The Shadow Spark pulsed, hotter now, a restless flame in his chest. Before he could orient himself, a blue hologram flared to life, its runic edges writhing with dark energy.
Oath of Judgment
[Summoned: Kang Min-jae]
[Rank: 1]
[Role: Pending Assignment]
[Attributes: Strength 6, Agility 8, Intelligence 10, Shadow Affinity 16]
[Authority: Shadow Spark (Basic)]
[Trial: Survive the Abyss of Judgment. Defeat the Shadow Vanguard. Secure the Pact of Shadows. Limit: 6 hours.]
[Choice: Wilt thou bind thy fate to the Order, or defy its will?]
The words seared into Min-jae's mind. "Abyss of Judgment?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Shadow Vanguard?" The terms felt like a guillotine's blade, heavy with finality. The Abyss wasn't just a place—it was a tribunal, a crucible designed to break or forge him. The System's archaic tone—"Wilt thou bind thy fate?"—was no mere prompt; it was a demand, a contract etched in shadow.
The platform shuddered, and the abyss roared. Three figures materialized, rising from the churning shadows like specters summoned from a nightmare. They were humanoid but grotesque, their elongated limbs twitching with unnatural grace. Their faces were featureless voids, save for glowing white eyes that burned with cold malice. Each wielded a weapon forged from writhing darkness: a spear, its tip dripping black ichor; a whip, coiling like a serpent; and a scythe, its blade shimmering with a hunger for blood.
Min-jae's heart lurched. "No way…" he breathed, his legs trembling. The Shadow Spark flared, instinctive and wild. He thrust his hands forward, and a shimmering veil of shadows erupted, a fragile barrier against the spear-wielder's charge. The spear struck, its force rattling his bones, but the veil held—just barely. Adrenaline surged, drowning his fear. "I can do this," he muttered, willing the Spark to obey.
The Spark twisted, forming a jagged shadow blade, its edge pulsing with dark energy. Min-jae slashed, the blade carving through the spear-wielder's arm. Black mist sprayed, and the creature howled, a sound that shredded the air. But the whip-wielder struck, its lash snapping around his ankle with bone-crushing force. Pain exploded, white-hot, yanking him off his feet. He hit the platform hard, air bursting from his lungs.
The scythe-wielder loomed, its blade arcing toward his chest. Min-jae's mind screamed—I'm dead!—but the Spark roared, fiercer than ever. He rolled, the scythe grazing his shoulder, drawing a line of fire across his skin. Blood dripped, hot and sticky, but he focused, the veil surging outward in a concussive wave. It shattered the whip's grip and staggered the creatures, their white eyes flickering with rage.
Gasping, Min-jae scrambled up, his shadow blade morphing into a whip of his own. He lashed out, the dark tendril slicing the spear-wielder's chest. It collapsed, dissolving into mist, but the scythe-wielder charged, its blade a blur. Min-jae ducked, the air whistling above him, and countered with a shadow spear, piercing its leg. The creature staggered, shrieking.
A burst of silver light erupted, blinding and radiant. Eun-ha materialized, her robe billowing like a storm cloud. She raised a hand, and a wave of silver fire incinerated the whip-wielder, reducing it to ash. Her silver eyes were cold, almost bored, but her voice cut like a blade. "Sloppy, Min-jae. You're wasting your Spark. Focus, or Shadows will claim you."
Min-jae's chest heaved, pain and anger swirling. "Why don't you fight them all, then?" he snapped, blood dripping from his shoulder. Eun-ha's smirk returned, sharp and unsettling, but before she could reply, flames roared across the platform.
Tae-ho charged in, his scarred hands blazing with fire. "Move, kid!" he bellowed, hurling a fireball that engulfed the scythe-wielder. The creature screeched, its form burning to cinders. Tae-ho's amber eyes blazed with fury, but he shot Min-jae a grudging glance. "Don't make me babysit you again."
"I didn't ask for your help!" Min-jae retorted, his voice raw. His shoulder burned, and the Spark flickered, drained from overuse. The platform quaked violently, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. From the abyss below, a colossal shadow rose, its form coalescing into a monstrosity—part dragon, part serpent, its obsidian scales glinting like shattered glass. Its crimson eyes burned with ancient malice, and its roar shattered the air, sending shards of stone raining down.
Eun-ha's smirk vanished, her eyes narrowing. "The Shadow Vanguard," she said, her voice low. "Your true test, Weaver."
Min-jae's knees buckled, terror gripping his heart. The Vanguard was a nightmare made flesh, its presence a crushing weight. Its tail lashed, splintering the platform's edge, and the abyss's whispers grew deafening, chanting, "Bind… or break…" The Spark pulsed, hot and defiant, whispering back: Fight.
Tae-ho cracked his knuckles, flames flaring. "Finally, something worth burning." He glanced at Min-jae, his sneer softening slightly. "Don't die, kid. I'm not dragging your corpse."
Min-jae nodded, his fear hardening into resolve. He summoned a shadow whip, its tendrils coiling like vipers. The Vanguard charged, its jaws snapping, and Min-jae lashed out, the whip wrapping around its foreleg. It roared, shaking him like a ragdoll, but he held on, the Spark burning brighter. Tae-ho unleashed a torrent of fireballs, each one exploding against the beast's flank, scorching its scales.
The Vanguard retaliated, its tail sweeping across the platform. Min-jae dove, the stone shattering behind him. He summoned a shadow spear, its tip gleaming, and hurled it with all his strength. It pierced the beast's eye, black ichor spraying. The creature thrashed, its screams shaking the abyss. Tae-ho seized the moment, his flames converging into a blazing inferno that engulfed the Vanguard's head.
"Now, kid!" Tae-ho shouted, his voice hoarse. Min-jae summoned a shadow veil, shielding them from the beast's flailing claws. The Spark surged, forming a massive blade—larger than any before. With a cry, he drove it into the Vanguard's chest. The beast convulsed, its body dissolving into a glowing orb: the Pact of Shadows.
Min-jae grabbed the orb, its searing warmth flooding his palm. The hologram flared.
Oath of Judgment: Trial Completed
[Reward: Pact of Shadows, Rank +1, Authority: Shadow Veil (Intermediate)]
[Role Assigned: Shadow Weaver]
[Explanation: The Shadow Weaver manipulates the Order's essence, crafting shadows into weapons and barriers. Thy power grows, but so does the Order's claim on thy soul.]
[Warning: The Pact binds thee to the Order. Betrayal invites oblivion.]
Min-jae's breath caught, the orb merging with him. Power surged, electric and heavy, but a weight settled in his chest, as if the Order's gaze had tightened its grip. "Shadow Weaver," he whispered, testing the words. The Spark felt sharper now, more precise, but its whispers grew louder, more insistent: Deeper… deeper…
Eun-ha approached, her silver eyes glinting. "Well done, Weaver," she said, her voice soft but edged with warning. "You're bound to Shadows now. But the Abyss never forgets its debts." Her smile was a blade, cutting through his fleeting triumph.
Before Min-jae could respond, the platform glitched—violet light fracturing, shadows twisting into unnatural shapes. The air warped, a high-pitched whine piercing his ears. From the chaos, a girl stumbled, collapsing onto the stone. She was small, maybe his age, with pale hair that glowed faintly, like moonlight. Her hands shimmered with soft light, but her eyes were wide with terror. "Help… please…" she gasped, her voice breaking.
Tae-ho scoffed, flames dimming. "Another newbie? Just what we need."
Eun-ha's gaze sharpened, her robe stilling. "Ji-yeon, a Lightbearer," she said, almost to herself. "Unexpected." She turned to Min-jae, her expression unreadable. "Your choice, Weaver. Save her, or let Shadows claim her."
Min-jae's heart raced. Ji-yeon's desperate eyes mirrored his mother's face in his final moments—pleading, fragile. But the glitch intensified, shadows coalescing into new creatures: skeletal hounds with glowing red eyes, their jaws dripping ichor. A distorted voice—Eun-ha's, but warped—slithered into his mind: "Your death was no accident, Min-jae. Trust no one."
He froze, his shadow veil flickering. Was Eun-ha betraying him? The glitch, Ji-yeon's arrival, Tae-ho's scowl—it was a storm of chaos. The hounds lunged, and Min-jae acted on instinct, summoning a shadow veil to shield Ji-yeon. "We're not leaving her!" he shouted, his voice firm despite the fear clawing his chest.
Tae-ho grunted, flames reigniting. "You're gonna regret this, kid." He hurled a fireball, incinerating a hound, but more emerged, their howls echoing in the abyss. Min-jae's veil held, but the Spark strained, his vision blurring. Ji-yeon clutched his arm, her light flaring weakly, healing his shoulder's gash. "Thank you…" she whispered, tears streaking her face.
Eun-ha watched, her silver eyes unyielding. "Choices have consequences, Weaver," she said, her voice a low warning. She raised a hand, silver light slicing through the hounds, but the glitch persisted, shadows reforming faster than she could destroy them.
Min-jae's mind raced. The glitch wasn't random—it was a crack in Shadows, a glimpse of its instability. Eun-ha's whisper—Your death was no accident—tied to the truck, the Order, her motives. He gripped Ji-yeon's hand, his shadow whip lashing out, cutting through a hound's skull. Tae-ho's flames roared, carving a path, but the abyss's whispers grew louder: "Bound… or broken…"
As they fought, Min-jae's resolve hardened. Shadows was no game—it was a trap, a lie. His death, Ji-yeon's arrival, the glitch—they were pieces of a puzzle. He'd survive, protect Ji-yeon, and uncover the truth, even if it meant defying Eun-ha, Tae-ho, or the Order itself.
The abyss roared, its shadows closing in, and Min-jae's journey plunged deeper into the dark.