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Chapter 6: Shadow Fang Awakening
The forest had returned to normal, or as normal as it could be after the Watcher Trial. Sunlight poured through the leaves, scattering in golden shards across the mossy floor. But Kade didn't look around. He knelt, blade in hand, feeling the hum of the Shadow Fang Blade against his palm.
It was alive. Not in a mechanical sense, not like the Wolf Fang Pendant, but in a way that seemed almost sentient. The metal vibrated faintly, as if aware of him, aware of every heartbeat, every twitch of muscle.
[Shadow Fang Blade: Level 1]
[Passive Effect: Predator's Instinct + Shadow Resonance]
[Active Skill Unlocked: Fang Strike (Consumes 10% HP per strike, massively amplifies damage)]
Kade flexed his fingers. Every movement sent a shiver up his arm, and a faint silver glow traced the veins beneath his skin—the Watcher Mark pulsing like a heartbeat of its own.
The real-world feedback had intensified. Every strike in the game caused phantom pain in his chest and arms. His body screamed in protest, muscles trembling, ribs aching. His stomach roared from hunger, a dull, constant gnawing that made concentration a battle in itself.
He wiped sweat from his forehead. "Alright… Shadow Fang," he muttered, testing a swing.
The blade cut through the air like liquid silver, leaving a faint streak of darkness that lingered for a second before fading. Kade grinned. So it's not just strong… it's fast.
---
The system chimed, faint but deliberate:
[New Enemy Detected: Corrupted Shade]
[Level: 9]
[HP: 900/900]
Kade's grip tightened. This wasn't a random spawn. The dungeon had… followed him. Or maybe the Watchers had sent it. Either way, he didn't hesitate.
The Shade emerged from the shadow of a fallen tree, its form distorted, barely corporeal. Glowing red eyes scanned him, and it moved with an unnatural fluidity.
Kade dodged its first strike—a swipe that felt like a gust of wind—but felt the ghost of it across his ribs. Real-world pain. The system was linking in-game trauma to his body with precision now.
[-35 HP / Real-World Feedback: Moderate]
He didn't flinch. He spun the Shadow Fang Blade, letting its active skill resonate. Darkness coiled along the edge, and he struck.
[Fang Strike Activated]
[-150 Enemy HP]
[-10% Player HP]
Pain flared through him as the blade consumed his vitality. Blood trickled down his arm—not from a wound, but from the strain of channeling the weapon. His vision blurred, but the Shade staggered back, disintegrating partially before reforming.
Each strike demanded everything he had—his body, his focus, his life force—but he pushed forward. The thrill of the fight mixed with the ache of hunger, exhaustion, and phantom injuries. It was… intoxicating.
---
After three intense rounds, Kade leaned heavily on a mossy stone. The Shade dissolved into shards of dark light.
[Enemy Defeated: Corrupted Shade]
[EXP: 2,000]
[Item Drop: Shadow Core Fragment (Rare)]
He exhaled, chest heaving. His heart raced, but the real-world toll was brutal. Sweat poured from his body, his ribs burned, and his stomach protested. A dry, hollow ache spread through him. Yet… he grinned.
He was alive. And stronger.
[Shadow Fang Blade Level Up → 2]
[Fang Strike damage increased by 15%]
The system whispered again:
[Watcher Observation: Ongoing]
[Hidden Quest Progress: 10%]
Something about that phrasing made his stomach tighten. The Watchers weren't done. Not by a long shot.
---
Kade decided to rest briefly. He sank onto the forest floor, catching his breath. But the shadows whispered, soft and eerie.
"Too weak… too human…"
He frowned. The voice wasn't coming from the system—he could feel it vibrating across his skin, through the Watcher Mark. This wasn't just a test of power; it was a test of endurance, resolve, and sanity.
His phone buzzed violently in the apartment. The real world demanded attention: unpaid bills, messages from his landlord, and one unread notification: DaxCorp Gaming Recruitment.
> "We're aware of your progress. Contact immediately for evaluation."
He ignored it. They had nothing he wanted. His power, his survival, was here, in this twisted fusion of life and game.
But his stomach growled. Hunger was a constant enemy now. He tore open a can of beans he had left in the corner and swallowed quickly, grimacing at the taste. Nothing tasted right. Nothing grounded him fully in reality.
The Watcher Mark pulsed faintly. The line of silver light beneath his skin glowed brighter as if responding to his heartbeat.
---
Back in the game, he tested the Shadow Fang Blade further. Its Passive Predator Instinct allowed him to sense enemies before they appeared. A group of low-level wolves emerged, but Kade didn't charge blindly. He anticipated, struck first, and killed them efficiently.
Every strike, however, resonated in real life. His arms ached. His vision blurred. Each swing left phantom scratches. He gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain.
[Level Up: Kade Veyron → 4]
[Strength +2, Endurance +2, Agility +2]
It was progress, but the toll was undeniable.
The system chimed again, more urgently this time:
[Watcher Alert: Player Performance Noted]
[Hidden Quest Progress: 25%]
Kade's gaze hardened. They're not just observing. They're influencing. Directly tracking everything.
---
The forest shifted. A faint portal appeared, silver and jagged, flickering like broken glass. The whispers returned:
"Step forward… or be erased…"
Kade didn't hesitate. He stepped through.
Inside, the world was wrong. Gravity bent strangely, shadows moved independently, and distant whispers promised danger and power.
[Zone: Watcher's Labyrinth]
[Enemies: Adaptive Shadows, Level 10+]
[Environment Effect: Gravity & Shadow Distortion]
A massive creature emerged from the center—a Shadow Titan. Its form shimmered and shifted constantly, impossible to lock on fully.
[Boss: Shadow Titan]
[Level: ???]
[HP: 5,000+]
Kade's blood ran cold. This was unlike anything he had faced.
And yet… he smiled.
"Bring it on."
He leapt forward, Shadow Fang Blade raised, feeling the silver mark pulse along his arm. Every strike, every death, every surge of pain and hunger was a step closer. And Kade had learned one truth: he could survive anything if he died and came back stronger.
The Titan roared, and the dungeon trembled. Shadows coiled, claws slashed, and Kade's vision flickered between the pain in his body and the thrill of combat.
He charged.
And the Watchers watched.