The sirens started before the sky broke.
A sharp, metallic wail tore through the city, followed by a single announcement—
"Gate detected. All civilians evacuate immediately."
People ran.
Cars crashed.
Voices overlapped.
Fear spread faster than fire.
And above it all…
The sky cracked open.
A massive black rift twisted into existence, swallowing the light around it.
A Gate.
---
Hunters gathered within minutes.
Armed. Alert. Ready.
Because if they failed—
Everyone behind them would die.
---
At the very edge of the group stood someone who didn't belong.
Hands in his pockets.
Back slightly slouched.
Eyes… quiet.
Yassin.
Rank: F
Level: 1
Skills: None
The weakest hunter alive.
"Why is he even here?"
A man scoffed, adjusting his armor.
"He's worse than useless. Just dead weight."
Laughter followed.
---
Yassin said nothing.
He had heard it all before.
Every insult.
Every whisper.
Every look.
He didn't need to respond.
Because they were right.
He was weak.
---
But today felt different.
His gaze stayed locked on the Gate.
A slow, pulsing darkness… like something breathing on the other side.
"…Just once," he murmured under his breath,
"let something change."
---
Inside the Gate
The moment they crossed—
The world died.
Light vanished.
Sound dulled.
Even the air felt… wrong.
Heavy. Cold. Suffocating.
Like the Gate itself was alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
"Stay in formation!" the team leader shouted.
Weapons were raised.
Spells gathered at fingertips.
Everyone was tense.
Everyone… except one.
---
Yassin stood at the back.
Unarmed.
Useless.
Alive by coincidence more than skill.
"I don't belong here…"
His fingers tightened slowly.
"So why… can't I leave?"
---
A low growl answered him.
Deep. Violent.
Hungry.
---
Something moved in the dark.
Then—
Eyes.
Red. Burning. Locked.
---
"Contact!!"
The monster burst forward.
A massive creature of muscle and claws, tearing through the ground like paper.
"Attack!!"
Hunters clashed against it.
Steel met flesh.
Magic lit the darkness.
But something was wrong.
---
Too fast.
Too strong.
Too much.
---
A hunter was slammed into the ground.
Another screamed as claws tore through his armor.
"Fall back! FALL BACK!!"
The formation collapsed.
Panic replaced discipline.
And just like that—
The hunters started losing.
---
Yassin didn't move.
He couldn't.
His body was frozen.
His mind… empty.
So this was it?
Not even a fight.
Just death.
---
The monster stopped.
Slowly…
It turned.
And its gaze locked onto him.
---
"…Ah."
So it chose him.
Of course it did.
The weakest.
The easiest.
---
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
---
"MOVE!!"
Someone screamed.
Too late.
---
Time slowed.
The world narrowed.
And just before death reached him—
A voice.
Cold. Mechanical.
Absolute.
---
"Suitable user detected."
---
Yassin's eyes widened.
"…What?"
---
"Initializing Shadow System."
---
His heart slammed against his ribs.
His breath hitched.
---
"Do you accept?"
---
Silence.
Total silence.
Even the monster seemed distant now.
---
Accept?
Or die here…
As nothing?
---
His hand trembled.
Then tightened.
---
A small smile appeared on his face.
For the first time in a long time—
He wasn't afraid.
---
"…I accept."
---
[System Activated]
[Shadow System Initialized]
---
Darkness exploded from his shadow.
The monster stopped mid-charge.
"What the hell—?!" someone shouted.
---
Yassin slowly raised his head.
His eyes glowed.
Violet.
Inhuman.
---
"First mission…"
A pause.
A breath.
---
"Kill… or die."
---
End of Chapter 1