The days rolled by quickly at Blackridge Academy. Despite their contrasting personalities, Juno and Jaemin had become an unlikely but inseparable duo. Their bond wasn't forged by laughter and lighthearted moments, but by shared danger, unspoken truths, and the mutual understanding that neither of them truly fit in with the others.
After school, they trained together in the gymnasium or ventured into low-level dungeons—some registered, some not. Jaemin had a sharp tongue and endless energy. Juno had precision, silence, and purpose. Together, they were a storm.
"Seriously, I should start charging people to watch us work," Jaemin joked as he sat atop a broken pillar, brushing monster dust off his hoodie.
Juno just nodded, surveying the remains of the dungeon beasts they had dispatched.
But one night, the system intervened.
[System Notice: Solo Mission Assigned] [Objective: Clear Evolving Dungeon (C → B Rank)]
Juno's brows furrowed. "Solo?"
Jaemin noticed the change. "What's up?"
"I have to go alone."
Jaemin's smirk faltered. "You sure?"
Juno nodded. "System's orders."
---
The dungeon was a suffocating maze of obsidian halls and crimson mist. The mana in the air was dense, oppressive. The creatures here were smarter, faster, and organized like a hive. Juno moved quietly, slaying lower-level beasts, conserving his strength.
Halfway through, the shadows began to whisper—something ancient and powerful lurked ahead.
Then it struck.
The dungeon king emerged—a towering, panther-like creature with obsidian armor plating, fangs like daggers, and molten red eyes that pierced through the gloom.
Juno barely dodged the first strike. The beast's claw cleaved into the wall behind him, leaving a deep scar in the stone.
He rolled to the side, unsheathing his system blade, and retaliated, slicing across the creature's leg. But the blade skidded off the armor with a clang.
The king roared, a deep, reverberating sound that shook the ground. It pounced, jaws wide open.
Juno ducked and slashed upward, catching the beast across the chin. It flinched but retaliated by whipping its tail like a spiked mace, sending Juno flying into a column. The impact knocked the wind out of him.
Blood trickled from his nose. His vision blurred.
[Vital Signs Critical] [System Alert: Shadow Energy Unstable]
He coughed, wiping the blood from his face, forcing himself upright.
The system pulsed again.
[Activate Shadow Combat Mode? Y/N]
"Yes," he hissed.
Black tendrils erupted around him, crawling over his skin like armor. His strength surged, his vision sharpened, and time seemed to slow.
Juno dashed forward, blade glowing with dark energy, and plunged it into the beast's leg joint—finding a weak spot. The panther screeched and countered with a swipe that tore through Juno's shoulder.
They exchanged blow for blow. For every strike Juno landed, the beast answered with ferocity. It became a brutal dance—precision versus instinct.
Juno leapt onto its back, stabbing down. The blade punctured the armor slightly—but not deep enough.
The beast thrashed, throwing him off, and he hit the ground hard. His ribs ached, and his limbs trembled. The king charged.
At the last moment, Juno rolled aside and slashed at its exposed underbelly. The blade finally sank deep.
The beast wailed and stumbled, but it wasn't dead.
Juno summoned his last ounce of strength and vaulted onto the beast's back again. This time, he drove the blade into the back of its skull.
The dungeon king let out one final, shuddering roar before collapsing.
Juno collapsed too, gasping, body broken but alive.
[Victory: Dungeon King Defeated] [Extract Shadow?]
"Extract."
A swirling dark mist engulfed the beast's corpse, pulling at the remnants of its soul. A new shadow emerged—sleek, armored, and snarling at Juno's side.
[New Shadow Acquired: Obsidian King]
He passed out next to it, exhaustion claiming him.
---
The next day, Juno was summoned by the guild.
"You've been matched with a group for a D-rank dungeon raid," the coordinator said. "You'll recognize someone in the party."
Juno turned to find Jaemin leaning against the wall, sipping a smoothie.
"Told you I'd be back."
The party consisted of six hunters: Juno, Jaemin, and four others—two swordsmen, a healer, and a scout.
The scout, a short girl with bright copper hair and hawk-like eyes, stepped forward.
"Hanni. New to the guild but not new to surviving," she said confidently.
Jaemin leaned toward Juno. "She's sassy. I like her."
The team entered the dungeon, a labyrinthine structure filled with traps, illusions, and beast-infested halls. Juno and Jaemin moved as a unit, their synergy unmistakable.
In one encounter, a beast lunged from the ceiling—Hanni's quick reflexes saved Jaemin's life.
"Watch the ceilings, smoothie boy," she quipped.
"Rude," Jaemin said, "but fair."
They continued deeper into the dungeon, their movements sharper, their roles clearer.
As they reached the boss chamber, the air thickened. The dungeon king emerged—a centipede-like creature with steel plating and bladed limbs.
Juno's eyes narrowed. He summoned the Obsidian King. The shadow beast leapt into action, drawing attention while Juno and Jaemin coordinated the final blow. Hanni supported from the rear, slinging blades at the creature's weak spots.
Together, they triumphed.
[System Notice: Party Victory | New Bond Formed: Hanni]
As they exited the dungeon, bloodied but victorious, Hanni looked at the boys and smirked.
"You two are something else," she said.
"Tell me something I don't know," Jaemin replied.
Juno glanced at Hanni, nodding once.
A new ally had joined the shadows.