The early light in the portal world was a sickly violet, streaked with lightning that pulsed rhythmically across the jagged horizon. Nathan had spent the night in Alkham's forward outpost, shadow tendrils coiled like restless serpents along his arms. Every muscle ached, but not from exhaustion — from the strange, exhilarating energy coursing through him. He had survived S-rank creatures before, but today promised something different. Something… larger.
Selena was already awake, moving through the dimly lit outpost with methodical precision. She checked the energy monitors, recalibrating barriers and scanning for unusual rifts. Nathan followed quietly, absorbing every movement, every subtle adjustment she made. This is survival on a professional scale, he thought. Observation is as deadly as combat.
"Morning," Selena said without looking up. Her tone was flat, professional, but Nathan caught the sharp edge of amusement in her eyes. "You slept like a corpse. Do you understand the gravity of portal activity yet?"
Nathan straightened, brushing shadows from his sleeves. "I'm beginning to. These portals… they're alive, almost. And monsters aren't just threats—they're strategic forces."
Selena finally looked at him. Her gaze was assessing, like a master examining a novice. "Exactly. This world doesn't forgive miscalculations. But if you learn, if you adapt… you can survive where others die. The guilds, Nathan, they shape the battlefield. Not the monsters alone."
Nathan's pulse quickened at the mention of guilds. "Guilds… like Zealand? I've heard rumors. They're… ranked first?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Ranked first for a reason. Their leader is S-rank. Nearly untouchable. The power, the control—they dominate every portal they touch. Hunters whisper about them, but none get close enough to verify the stories." She paused, studying Nathan's reaction. "Do you wish to rise among hunters, Nathan? Or merely survive?"
Rise, he thought, shadows coiling tighter around his arms. Survival isn't enough. Not anymore.
"I want to rise," he said finally, voice low but firm. "I want to master this world."
Selena's gaze sharpened, approving but cautious. "Good. Survival is a start. Mastery… mastery comes with knowledge, combat, and risk."
---
By midday, the forward outpost detected an anomaly: a new portal forming in the eastern fissures. Nathan's pulse quickened; the display indicated a concentrated energy spike—stronger than any he had witnessed. Selena gestured toward the monitors.
"That portal isn't stable. It's attracting high-rank creatures. If we don't intervene…" Her voice trailed off.
Nathan's shadows twitched, sensing the incoming threat. "We intervene. I can help."
Selena's eyebrow rose. "You're certain?"
"I'm certain."
They moved toward the portal, carefully navigating treacherous terrain. As they approached, Nathan's first glimpse of the creature drew his breath. A massive form emerged, taller than any S-rank he had fought. Its limbs were armored with chitinous plates, claws glowing faintly with energy, and a head lined with multiple eyes that scanned the terrain like sensors.
SS-rank… maybe higher, Nathan thought, his shadow tendrils extending instinctively, slicing through the air with a hiss. The creature roared, a sound that vibrated the ground. Its eyes locked on them, intelligent, calculating.
Selena leapt forward, her energy conduits flaring as she struck with precision. The creature countered, swinging massive claws with destructive force. Nathan dodged, shadow blades slicing through the air to intercept an incoming strike. Sparks and energy erupted where shadows met the creature's armor.
"Move with me," Selena shouted, her voice cutting through the roar of the battle. They danced across jagged terrain, coordinating attacks, shadows and energy strikes weaving together. Nathan felt a thrill unlike any before; each strike, each dodge, each shadow tendril responding to his intent, extending his will into the battlefield.
Minutes stretched like hours. The creature was relentless, adapting to their attacks. But Nathan, for the first time, felt something new: control. Not just survival. Dominance. He began to manipulate the shadows more aggressively, weaving them into complex formations that restrained the creature momentarily.
Selena took advantage, striking with pinpoint precision. Their synergy was instinctive, almost preternatural, and together they drove the monster back toward the unstable portal. Nathan could feel its power—an SSS-rank energy signature—but their combined assault forced it to retreat, collapsing partially into the portal rift.
Nathan's chest heaved as he flexed his shadows, feeling the surge of energy flow through him. He glanced at Selena, whose face was calm but alert. "You're improving fast," she said. "But this… was just the beginning. Portals like this attract guild attention. And now, Zealand knows of us."
Nathan froze. Zealand. The name alone carried weight. Their first-ranked guild, led by an S-rank hunter whose power was unmatched. Nathan understood immediately: survival would now mean navigating not only monsters but guild politics, power hierarchies, and alliances.
He had survived death once. He had faced an S-rank monster and lived. But now, the stakes had escalated. Every movement, every decision, would be scrutinized by beings far stronger, far more strategic than he had imagined.
I will rise, Nathan thought, shadow tendrils coiling like serpents around his arms, not just to survive, but to surpass them all.
As they returned to the outpost, Selena spoke quietly, her tone sharp with implication. "Prepare yourself, Nathan. Powerful guilds, high-rank monsters, unstable portals… none of this is forgiving. But if you survive, you'll rise faster than anyone expects. You have potential. And potential… is dangerous."
Nathan nodded silently, feeling the weight of those words. He looked at his hands, shadows twisting and pulsing, responding to his thoughts as if alive. The battlefield was no longer a place of mere survival. It was a canvas, and he, for the first time, felt like a painter of destruction.
In the distance, faint glimmers of light flickered across the horizon, hinting at the presence of others—hunters from guilds, perhaps Zealand itself, observing, calculating. Nathan's pulse quickened. He knew his path was set: stronger monsters, guild confrontations, mastery of shadows, and the climb toward a legend that would shake the modern world.
The portal world was vast, dangerous, and unpredictable. But Nathan, the hunter reborn, felt a thrill coursing through him: every shadow, every strike, every decision now mattered. And he would ensure that his name, whispered by hunters and monsters alike, would be remembered.