Queens at night was never truly quiet. Normally there were the faint hums of traffic, a car horn here, the laughter of kids lingering too long on stoops, the constant living thrum of New York. But tonight was wrong. Ethan felt it the moment his shoes touched the cracked sidewalk: the stillness, the lack of sound. It was as if the borough had exhaled and forgotten how to breathe back in.
The shadows stretched longer than they should. Streetlights flickered. One by one, windows that should have been lit by television glow were black. His instincts—honed from both his former life and his training here—flared red with warning. This wasn't just an ordinary quest.
Ethan pulled his hoodie tighter, one hand in his pocket fingering the cool Stark-made gadget Tony had "accidentally" left lying around—a miniature light disruptor. To anyone watching, he was just another Stark brat sneaking out for fun, maybe to chase girls or find trouble. And wasn't that the point? Nobody looked twice at the loudmouth Stark kid. Nobody noticed he was following a trail only he could see.
The System hovered in his vision:
[Emergency Quest – Demonic Presence in Queens]
Time Remaining: 06h 11m
It had been ticking down since the night before. Six hours wasn't much time to prepare, but Ethan wasn't one for hesitation.
His phone buzzed. A text.
Hope: You ghosted. Homework group started without you.
Ethan smirked and tapped a reply.
Ethan: I'm on an urgent diplomatic mission. Gotham needs me.
Seconds later, Danny's name popped up in the group chat.
Danny: Pretty sure Gotham isn't real.
Ethan: Neither is my math grade. Coincidence? I think not.
Hope just sent a single sigh emoji. Jessica didn't bother to reply at all.
Ethan's grin faded as he slipped the phone away. The chatter of normal life—the crushes, the banter, the schoolwork—felt like a lifeline, but one he had to let go for now. What waited in Queens wasn't something his classmates could ever understand.
He turned a corner, and that's when he saw it.
The first sign.
A smear of black ash painted across the brick wall, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. The shape of a handprint, elongated, clawed. The smell was acrid, sulfur and rot, sharp enough to sting his nostrils.
"Yeah," Ethan muttered under his breath. "This screams safe neighborhood."
He reached inward. Shadows rippled at his feet, answering his will. Igris rose first, armor gleaming dully in the dim light, kneeling with his blade ready. The Skeletal Brute lurched forward next, heavy bones creaking. Two goblins slithered from the dark, followed by the low growl of the Shadow Wolf. The faceless husk lingered last, silent and cold.
His small army assembled around him, black smoke rising like mist. To anyone who might have walked by, the sidewalk would look empty. But to Ethan, this was war.
"Eyes open, boys," Ethan whispered. "And Wolf, please try not to pee on a hydrant this time."
The wolf growled. Ethan smirked despite himself. Humor was armor too.
He advanced, the air thickening with every step. The silence broke with a sound like claws dragging against steel. Then it came: a screech, high and shrill, and the shadows around the alley exploded into movement.
They swarmed.
Grotesque creatures, hunched and jagged, with skin like burnt leather stretched too tight over bone. Their mouths gaped wider than they should, lined with rows of teeth that dripped with black ichor. Eyes glowed ember-red, and their claws sparked as they hit the pavement.
Low-ranked demons. Dozens of them.
"Of course it's never easy," Ethan muttered. "Alright, boys, dinner time!"
Igris surged forward, blade cleaving through the first creature in a clean arc, black ichor spraying across the alley walls. The goblins shrieked and dove into the fray, stabbing wildly, their small forms darting between the demons' legs. The Brute barreled forward, swinging its massive fists, bones cracking on impact. The Wolf lunged, snapping one demon's throat in a gush of black fluid.
Ethan himself moved like a shadow, years of experience guiding his steps. His fists connected, enhanced strength breaking ribs. He ducked claws, rolled, shoved a dagger into one creature's chest, yanking it free in a spray. The System chimed in his ears:
[Demonic Follower defeated.]+100 EXP
The swarm pressed harder. For each demon that fell, more clawed their way out of the shadows, shrieking and hissing. Ethan barked orders, his voice steady despite the chaos.
"Igris, keep the line! Goblins, flank left—no, your left, damn it! Wolf, cut them off at the back!"
The battle turned into a maelstrom of claws, teeth, and shadow blades. Ethan's chest burned, his stamina draining. Fatigue was climbing too fast. The demons weren't just attacking—they were testing, probing, trying to overwhelm. And deep down, Ethan knew: this wasn't the real threat. This was just the welcome mat.
The ground shook.
A shape stepped forward from the mouth of the alley, towering above the swarm. Its horns curved backward like blades. Its skin glistened black-red, as if molten fire ran beneath it. Muscles rippled under the cracked armor fused to its body. Its eyes locked on Ethan, and the weight of its gaze alone nearly buckled his knees.
A high-ranked demon.
The swarm stopped screeching. They backed away, making room for their leader.
"Oh," Ethan breathed. "You're the boss fight."
The demon smiled—a grotesque curl of jagged teeth. It raised one massive clawed hand and pointed at him. The horde roared, then surged again.
"Figures." Ethan spat blood from his lip. "Alright. Round two."
His summons dove back in, but the high-ranked demon moved too. It was fast—faster than something that size should be. It swept its arm, sending the Skeletal Brute flying into a wall with a bone-cracking crunch. One goblin shrieked as claws tore it in half, shadows scattering.
Ethan fought, blades flashing, fists striking, but the sheer power of the demon was overwhelming. Igris held it at bay for precious seconds, steel clashing against demonic claw, but even the knight was being driven backward.
A claw slashed across Ethan's chest, sending him sprawling against the concrete. Pain exploded. His vision blurred. Blood dripped hot down his side. His army was faltering, and his strength was draining fast.
HP: 320/910
Fatigue: 92
The demon loomed over him, ready to finish it. Ethan's mind raced. This wasn't just about the quest. This was about his parents, about the timeline, about everything waiting ahead. He couldn't die here. He wouldn't.
Then the System flared.
[Job Change Available.]
Requirements Met: Shadow Affinity – High, Summoner Rank – Adequate, Survival Conditions – Critical.
Would you like to become the Monarch of Shadows?
Yes / No
Ethan coughed blood, grinned, and whispered, "Hell yes."
The world went dark, then blazed with light. Shadows erupted from beneath him, coiling up his arms, surging into his chest. The pain vanished, replaced by raw power flooding every nerve. His summons straightened, their forms shivering with renewed strength. The high-ranked demon hesitated, for the first time.
[Job Obtained: Monarch of Shadows]
Skills Enhanced.
Summon Capacity Expanded.
Authority over Darkness Increased.
Ethan rose to his feet, black mist curling around him like a cloak. His eyes gleamed faintly violet in the night.
"Round three," he said, voice dripping with dark amusement. "My turn."
The demon lunged. Ethan moved faster than before, slipping past claws, driving his dagger deep into its arm. He yanked it free as shadows swarmed, his will dragging them up. Fallen demons—broken husks of the swarm—shuddered and rose, eyes glowing faintly.
The high-ranked demon roared as the tide turned. Igris drove his blade into its leg, the goblins stabbed at its flanks, the Wolf lunged at its throat. Ethan darted in and out, commanding his shadows with a clarity he hadn't known before.
Every strike was paid in blood, but the monster faltered. Its swings grew wilder, less precise. It shrieked in frustration. Ethan's blade pierced its chest one last time, driving straight through molten flesh. With a final roar, the demon collapsed, black ichor spilling across the pavement.
The System chimed.
[High-Ranked Demonic General defeated.]+5,000 EXP
Emergency Quest Complete.
The world stilled. The horde dissolved into ash. The air lightened slightly, but the sulfur stench lingered. Ethan dropped to one knee, chest heaving, every muscle screaming.
But he was alive. His army stood around him, battered but loyal, shadows flickering. The whispers still hung in the back of his mind.
This had only been the beginning.
He stared at the demon's corpse, already melting into black sludge. Its last words rattled in his head, though he wasn't sure he'd heard them with his ears.
"The Gate… will open."
Ethan shivered. Hell was real, and it had noticed him.
Six days until December 16th.Tonight, Queens. Tomorrow, the world.
Ethan Stark stood, shadows curling tighter around him like a second skin.
"Bring it," he muttered.
And the night carried his words into silence
Status Window
Name: Ethan Stark
Job: Monarch of Shadows
Level: 11
HP: 1,020 / 1,020
MP: 450 / 450
Fatigue: 26
Strength: 62
Agility: 59
Vitality: 56
Intelligence: 65
Sense: 60
Skills:
Passive:
Tenacity Lv.3: Endure pain and maintain combat effectiveness at low HP.
Unarmed Combat Basics Lv.4: Increased proficiency in unarmed combat
Stealth Lv.2: Lets users blend into their surroundings
Active:
Shadow Exchange (Locked)
Shadow Extraction Lv.2: Extract shadows from defeated enemies.
Shadow Storage Lv.3: Store and summon shadows at will.
Domination of the Monarch (NEW): Enhance shadow soldiers with authority, strengthening them in combat.
Dagger Mastery Lv.3: Increased proficiency with bladed weapons.
Sprint Lv.2: Movement speed boost.
Shadow Storage (8/15)
Igris [Lv.9 | Rank: Knight] – Reinforced with Monarch's power.
Skeletal Brute [Lv.6 | Rank: Normal] – Bulkier after battle.
Lesser Goblin Soldier ×2 [Lv.5 | Rank: Normal] – Growing more coordinated.
Shadow Wolf [Lv.4 | Rank: Beast] – Stronger bite and faster mobility.
Newly-Risen [Lv.3 | Rank: Normal] – Slowly stabilizing.
Demonic Follower [Lv.6 | Rank: Normal] (NEW) – One of the low-ranked demons, now under Ethan's control.
High-Rank Demonic General [Lv.10 | Rank: Elite] (NEW) – Severely weakened by death, but its husk remains powerful as Ethan's first Elite shadow.
Quest Log
[Emergency Quest – Demonic Presence in Queens] ✅ Completed.
Reward: EXP, Job Change unlocked, two new shadows extracted.