Five years had passed since Sung Jin-Woo, the Shadow Monarch, defeated the Monarchs and reshaped the world, erasing dungeons and gates to forge a new order of peace. Seoul thrived under his silent vigilance, its skyline a symbol of humanity's resilience, with no threats to challenge the S-rank hunter who had become a living legend. He lived quietly with Cha Hae-In, his wife, their son Su-Ho, and his sister Jin-Ah, savoring days free from bloodshed. But on this fateful dawn, a crimson pulse ripped through the sky above Gangnam, a jagged scar bleeding void energy that twisted steel and shattered glass, awakening a horror from beyond. E-rank swarmers with relentless fury, D-rank terrors with venomous precision, and A-rank predators with lethal cunning emerged one by one, heralding a cosmic predator: Agnorath, the X-rank Sovereign of the Abyss, whose infinite domains burned with hunger to consume all existence. The System's voice sliced through Jin-Woo's mind: SS Rank Trial Initiated: Survive the Shadow Realm. Warning: Agnorath's Will Awakens. His Shadow Echo skill flared, conjuring a vision that seized his soul: Agnorath on a molten throne, forging a Cup shard, his voice a guttural snarl: "Your blood is my forge." Su-Ho's shadow pet, a miniature Igris with crimson-flecked eyes, muttered of a "dark gate," its tone heavy with menace. Jin-Ah, now E-rank, trained under Hae-In, her light mana tainted by faint void corruption, a mark of Agnorath's reach. Jin-Woo's Shadow Dominion and Ruler's Authority trembled against the Sovereign's will, his resolve to protect his family igniting a crusade toward the Eternal Abyss.
The pulse intensified, sending tremors through the city. Jin-Woo's phone vibrated, Woo Jin-Chul's voice urgent: "Sung, this isn't a gate. Fractures are opening in Busan, Tokyo, London. E to A-rank energy, but it's alien. Get to Gangnam immediately."
Jin-Woo leapt from the balcony, Shadow Step carrying him to the street in an instant. Cha Hae-In was already there, her S-rank light mana blazing like a star, her sword drawn and glowing with defiant radiance. "Jin-Woo," she said, her voice steady amid the chaos, "this mana feels alive. It's not from our world."
Baek Yoon-Ho and Thomas Andre converged, their auras exploding: Yoon-Ho's tiger-like ferocity snarling, Thomas's brute force quaking the ground. Go Gun-Hee's military barricaded Gangnam, but the rift's energy defied their efforts, spawning murmurs that froze the blood: Agnorath. Sovereign. Abyss. At home, Jin-Ah shielded Su-Ho, her E-rank mana straining against the void's pull. Jin-Woo's heart pounded at the thought of his sister and son, their safety the anchor in this storm. The System declared: SS Rank Trial Location: Gangnam, Crimson Rift. Time to Collapse: 12 Hours. Survive or Perish.
"We're going in," Jin-Woo said, his tone low and unyielding. "Hae-In, Yoon-Ho, Thomas. Stay alert."
They stepped through the rift, reality warping into the Shadow Realm, a barren wasteland of black sand and towering spires under a blood-red sky. Agnorath's presence slithered through the air, fraying Jin-Woo's shadows. Hae-In's light wavered, Yoon-Ho's beast form snarled, and Thomas clenched his fists, undaunted. The ground quaked, and the first trial unfolded.
Three beasts emerged one by one, their shapes forming from the black sand like nightmares given life. The first, an E-rank swarmer, skittered forward with jagged limbs, charging at Hae-In. Jin-Woo unleashed Shadow Dominion, sixty shadow knights rising from the ground, their blades gleaming with dark intent. He summoned two S-rank demons, void terrors with psychic claws thrumming with malice. The terrors pinned the swarmer, their cries disrupting its movements, allowing Hae-In's light sword to cleave its core in a burst of radiance. Yoon-Ho's tiger form shredded its remains, claws flashing.
The second, an A-rank predator, slunk from the shadows, its form sleek and lethal, eyes glinting with cunning. It darted for Thomas, but Jin-Woo's Shadow Step flashed him forward, Shadow Blades slicing its flank. Thomas slammed his fists into its frame, shattering bone, while Yoon-Ho tore its core with a roar. The third, another A-rank predator, lunged with blistering speed, its claws raking the air. Jin-Woo's void terrors flanked it, their psychic claws shredding its defenses. Hae-In's light burned through its form, and Jin-Woo finished it with a precise strike, his blade a whisper of death. The System confirmed the beasts' defeat.
The black sand shifted, forming a maze of shifting dunes that threatened to swallow them. Jin-Woo's Shadow Echo revealed fleeting paths through the chaos, but an A-rank hunter beast spawned, its tendrils lashing with void-fueled fury. His void terrors countered, their cries calming the dunes around it. Hae-In channeled light mana, stabilizing the path with a radiant glow. Yoon-Ho guarded the flanks, his tiger form tearing at spawning shades, while Thomas shattered debris blocking their way. Jin-Woo led, his steps precise, guiding them to a cracked stone platform at the maze's core. The System acknowledged their navigation.
Agnorath's voice surged, a psychic force slicing into Jin-Woo's mind: "Serve me, Monarch. Your world falls." His shadows flickered red, visions flooding his senses: Seoul in flames, Su-Ho and Jin-Ah consumed by void, their eyes empty. Jin-Woo's knees buckled, the Sovereign's will a crushing weight. Hae-In's light blazed, her voice piercing the darkness: "You belong to us!" Her hand gripped his, her mana a lifeline. Jin-Woo summoned Ruler's Authority, banishing the visions, his resolve unyielding. The red in his shadows faded. The System confirmed his resistance.
A rare S-rank demon materialized, a void terror with psychic tendrils radiating malice, its voice a hiss: "Agnorath owns you." Jin-Woo's shadow army swarmed, sixty knights forming a perimeter, while his S-rank void terrors lunged, their claws clashing with the demon's tendrils. Hae-In's light sword seared its aura, weakening its form. Yoon-Ho's tiger claws dented its frame, and Thomas endured its psychic blasts, his fists shaking the platform. Jin-Woo's Shadow Echo anticipated its strikes, his Shadow Blade piercing its core. The demon dissolved into void mist with a final shriek. The System signaled its defeat.
The Shadow Realm quaked, the red sky pulsing violently. The demon's death revealed a shard radiating Agnorath's essence, hovering above a jagged spire. As Jin-Woo reached for it, a vision struck: Agnorath's throne, X-rank power blazing, a dark gate looming behind him. "You draw closer," the Sovereign sneered. The shard burned Jin-Woo's hand, void corruption seeping into his shadows. Hae-In's light mana surged, her presence grounding him. He seized the shard, forcing back the corruption with raw will. The System confirmed the shard's capture.
The shard's corruption triggered a vision: Su-Ho and Jin-Ah, eyes red, kneeling before Agnorath. Jin-Woo's bloodline surged with void taint, his shadows turning crimson. A void mirror appeared, showing a corrupted Jin-Woo, his eyes hollow, serving the Sovereign. Hae-In's light blazed brighter, her voice fierce: "You're not his!" Her hand pressed against his chest, her mana burning away the taint. Jin-Woo channeled Ruler's Authority, shattering the mirror, his shadows restored to black. The System verified the purification.
The Shadow Realm roared, spires collapsing into the void. The realm disintegrated, black sand erupting into a catastrophic collapse. Jin-Woo's Shadow Dominion formed a barrier, his sixty knights shielding the team. His void terrors cleared paths through the chaos, their screeches cutting through debris. Hae-In's light guided them, a beacon in the darkness. Yoon-Ho's tiger form shattered falling spires, and Thomas carried the wounded, his strength unyielding. Jin-Woo's Shadow Step teleported them toward the portal, the collapse clawing at their backs. They dove through as the realm vanished, landing in Gangnam's streets. The System confirmed their escape: SS-Rank Trial Progress: 1/3 Realms Complete.
Back in Seoul, Jin-Woo gripped the shard, his S-rank power straining under its weight. Hae-In's armor was scorched, her breath uneven. Yoon-Ho panted, his beast aura dimmed. Thomas grinned, blood dripping from a gash. "One hell of a welcome back," he said.
In the apartment, Jin-Ah, now D-rank, greeted them, her light dagger steadier, her mana stronger. Su-Ho's shadow Igris murmured: "The dark gate burns." The System announced: SS-Rank Trial Continues: Enter Void Fringe. Warning: Agnorath's Influence Grows.
Jin-Woo's resolve hardened, the shard's energy a reminder of the war ahead. Agnorath's voice lingered, a vow of annihilation.