Kairo Valez stood at the edge of Mint City as sirens screamed across the skyline. Crimson light pulsed through the cracked streets, reflecting off shattered windows and broken steel. Ten years ago, the Gates appeared and twisted the world into something half alive, half nightmare.
Some people awakened as Hunters.
Some became monsters.
Most were just trying not to die.
And then there were people like Kairo—
The kind the world forgot existed.
---
The Guild Hall buzzed with noise. Hunters in polished gear laughed, sharpened blades, and bragged about stats. Posters lined the walls showing every rank from S down to E.
Kairo tightened the straps on his worn gloves. His armor had dents from jobs he barely survived. He walked quietly, keeping his head down.
"Hey, look."
A bulky C-Rank pointed at him.
"Mint City's weakest Hunter actually showed up."
Another smirked. "Try not to die this time, E-Rank."
Kairo ignored them. Weak. Burden. Useless. He'd heard it all before.
He wasn't here to prove anything.
He just needed money.
---
The abandoned hospital towered in front of them, its broken gates swallowed by a swirling blue vortex. A Dungeon Gate.
The raid leader addressed the group.
"This is a basic run. Stick together. Kairo, stay in the back and don't get involved."
Kairo nodded wordlessly.
But deep inside, something felt wrong tonight.
A pressure in his chest.
A whisper he couldn't understand.
The Gate pulsed, and they stepped through.
---
Inside, flickering lights cast long shadows across cracked floors. The team cut down small beasts easily. Kairo stayed behind, as always.
A Hunter scoffed. "See? Even E-Ranks can handle—"
He froze.
Something massive clung to the ceiling—hidden, waiting.
Red eyes snapped open.
The creature dropped like a meteor, shaking the entire hall.
"What is that?!"
"That wasn't in the report!"
"Fall back!"
Hunters scattered in every direction.
But Kairo couldn't move.
His entire body locked in fear.
The monster loomed over him, its claws raised.
So this is it, he thought numbly.
Weak until the end…
The beast struck.
But the world stopped.
---
Everything froze mid-air.
The room fell silent.
Color drained away.
And in front of him appeared a glowing blue message:
[SYSTEM ERROR]
Unqualified Host Detected.
Initiating Forced Awakening…
Do You Accept?
[YES] [NO]
Kairo's heart hammered.
"What… what is this…?"
His trembling hand moved on its own.
"I… accept."
The universe shattered into white.
---
He floated in a silent void, surrounded by endless darkness. Strange shadowy figures knelt around him, heads bowed.
A voice—ancient, metallic, powerful—echoed through his mind.
"Welcome, Shadow Sovereign Candidate."
"Your weakness was the price for survival."
"Now rise… as something beyond human."
Black energy surged through him. His eyes turned pitch black, glowing violet at the edges.
He gasped.
"What am I becoming…?"
"Your new rank is: UNDEFINED."
"Title granted: The Forgotten King."
The void shattered.
---
Time resumed.
The monster's claw came down—
But a living shadow rose from the ground, catching the strike effortlessly.
Hunters turned in shock.
"What the hell is that?!"
"Shadows… moving on their own?!"
Kairo slowly stood up. Shadows gathered behind him, taking the shape of a soldier with hollow blue eyes.
Kairo raised his hand.
"Obliterate it."
The shadow soldier blurred forward, slicing the monster in half. It disintegrated into black dust.
Everyone stared in horror and awe.
The raid leader approached cautiously.
"K-Kairo… what rank are you now?"
Kairo stepped past him, shadows swirling at his feet like loyal wolves.
"…Not one you can measure."
He walked out of the Gate, the dawn breaking behind him.
---
Far above, on a nearby rooftop, a hooded figure watched him leave the dungeon.
"So…" the stranger whispered.
"The Forgotten King has awakened."
Lightning split the sky.
"The other Sovereigns will not let him live."