The forest outside Seoul was eerily quiet as Sung Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In emerged from the shadow realm portal, their breaths visible in the chilly night air. The vision from Jin-Woo's newly evolved Shadow Echo lingered like a bad dream: Seoul burning, his son Su-Ho crying, and Agnorath, an X-rank specter, laughing amidst the wreckage. The System's latest notification pulsed in his mind: [Next Trial: Stabilize SS-Rank Fracture. Warning: Agnorath's Gaze Intensifies.] This wasn't just a hunt anymore—it was a race against a force that seemed to know him, to want him broken.
Jin-Woo's ES-rank senses, sharper now, caught the distant hum of mana from central Seoul. Another rift, bigger, spitting SS-rank energy. He glanced at Hae-In, her blonde hair streaked with sweat, her sword still drawn. "You okay?" he asked, voice low.
She nodded, eyes fierce. "I'm not letting you face this alone, Jin-Woo. Whatever Agnorath is, we end it together."
He managed a half-smile, her resolve anchoring him. But the weight of the System's trials, the name Agnorath, and that vision of his family in danger gnawed at him. He had to move fast—before the fractures spread, before Su-Ho or Jin-Ah got caught in the crossfire.
"We need backup," Jin-Woo said. "Jin-Chul's keeping tabs on the city, but we need the old crew. Go Gun-Hee, maybe Baek Yoon-Ho. They're not hunters anymore, but they'll listen."
Hae-In sheathed her sword. "And Jin-Ah? She's going to notice something's up. Su-Ho's already asking questions."
Jin-Woo's jaw tightened. His sister, studying for her exams, and his son, blissfully unaware, deserved the peace he'd fought for. "Not yet," he said. "Let's keep them safe as long as we can."
The System chimed, impatient: [SS-Rank Fracture Location: Seoul Central Park. Time to Collapse: 12 Hours. Eliminate Core Beast to Stabilize.]
"Central Park," Jin-Woo muttered. "Let's move."
By dawn, they reached Woo Jin-Chul's precinct, a squat building buzzing with early-morning activity. Jin-Chul was waiting in his office, files strewn across his desk, a map of Seoul marked with red pins—mana spike locations. His eyes, sharp despite the bags under them, flicked to Jin-Woo and Hae-In as they entered.
"You look like hell," Jin-Chul said, tossing Jin-Woo a coffee. "Shadow realm fun?"
"Something like that," Jin-Woo replied, catching the cup. He recounted the shadow realm fight, the First Echo's defeat, and the SS-rank fracture now threatening Seoul. "It's tied to Agnorath. X-rank entity, maybe higher. He's sending these fractures, testing me."
Jin-Chul leaned back, rubbing his temples. "X-rank? That's beyond anything we faced before. And this System reboot—why now?"
Hae-In crossed her arms. "It's not random. Jin-Woo's the only one who could challenge something like that. This Agnorath… he's targeting you specifically."
Jin-Woo nodded, his Shadow Echo skill twitching, offering a fleeting glimpse of a desolate realm where a shadowy figure—Agnorath?—watched from a throne of void. The vision faded, leaving a chill. "I need to stabilize this fracture before it gets worse. Jin-Chul, can you reach Go Gun-Hee? He's a politician now, but he's got pull. We need resources."
"Already on it," Jin-Chul said, pulling out his phone. "Gun-Hee's been sniffing around weird energy reports too. I'll get him to meet us at the park. Yoon-Ho's trickier—he's running a dojo up north—but I'll drag him if I have to."
Jin-Woo's lips twitched. The old guild days felt like a lifetime ago, but these bonds held strong. "Do it. And keep an eye on Jin-Ah and Su-Ho. If gates are opening, I don't want them near one."
Jin-Chul nodded, already dialing. "You focus on the fracture. I'll handle the home front."
Central Park was a green oasis in Seoul's concrete heart, but now it thrummed with unease. Families picnicked, unaware of the crimson rift pulsing near the lake, hidden by a shimmer only hunters could see. Jin-Woo and Hae-In approached, cloaked in civilian clothes to avoid attention. His ES-rank senses mapped the rift: massive, unstable, leaking mana like a wound. SS-rank beasts lurked inside—at least a dozen, led by a "Core Beast" the System flagged.
Go Gun-Hee arrived in a sleek black car, his silver hair and sharp suit a far cry from his guild leader days. He stepped out, eyes scanning Jin-Woo with a mix of respect and concern. "Sung Jin-Woo. Never thought I'd see you hunting again."
"Didn't have a choice," Jin-Woo said. "You've heard about the mana spikes?"
Gun-Hee nodded, pulling out a tablet with classified reports. "Unexplained energy surges across Korea. Japan and the U.S. are reporting similar. I've got government backing to investigate quietly. What's this Agnorath you mentioned?"
"X-rank entity," Jin-Woo said. "He's behind these fractures. Sending beasts, maybe worse. I need your resources—block off this park, keep civilians out. Hae-In and I will handle the rift."
Gun-Hee's eyes narrowed. "You're not telling me everything, are you?"
Jin-Woo met his gaze. "Not yet. But trust me."
Gun-Hee sighed. "Always did. I'll cordon the area. Police and military owe me favors. But Jin-Woo… don't go dying on us."
Hae-In smirked. "He's too stubborn for that."
As Gun-Hee left to coordinate, Jin-Woo and Hae-In scouted the rift. It pulsed, spitting sparks. Jin-Woo summoned Beru, his ant-king shadow, who bowed low. "My liege, the fracture reeks of void. The beasts within are Agnorath's spawn—SS-rank, cunning, born of his will."
"Any sign of him?" Jin-Woo asked.
Beru's antennae twitched. "Not yet. But his gaze… it watches."
The System pinged: [Enter Fracture to Engage Core Beast. Allies Advised.]
Jin-Woo glanced at Hae-In. "Last chance to stay back."
She drew her sword, light mana flaring. "Try stopping me."
The rift swallowed them, reality twisting into a jagged landscape of black stone and red skies. The air was thick, oppressive, laced with void energy that stung Jin-Woo's skin. His ES-rank senses flared—twelve SS-rank beasts scattered across the terrain, their auras pulsing like heartbeats. In the distance, a massive silhouette loomed—the Core Beast, a draconic creature with void-wreathed scales, its power bordering on SSS-rank.
Hae-In gripped her sword. "This place… it's like the shadow realm, but worse."
"It's Agnorath's territory," Jin-Woo said, summoning his shadow army—fifty soldiers, from knights to ogres, fanning out. "Stay close. We clear the small ones, then hit the core."
The first wave attacked: six SS-rank beasts, spider-like, with void tendrils for legs. Jin-Woo unleashed Shadow Dominion, blanketing the ground in darkness. His soldiers rose from it, clashing with the spiders. Hae-In danced through the fray, her blade slicing tendrils with surgical precision, light mana burning away void residue. Jin-Woo moved like a phantom, Shadow Step carrying him between targets. He drove Shadow Blades into two spiders, their bodies dissolving into ash. [Fracture Beasts Eliminated: 2/12.]
The remaining four retreated, smarter than expected. Jin-Woo's Shadow Echo triggered, showing a glimpse of their strategy—they were luring him toward the Core Beast. He shared a look with Hae-In. "They're baiting us. Be ready."
The second wave hit harder: four SS-rank wyverns, their wings trailing void mist. Jin-Woo summoned Igris and Tusk, the orc shaman casting fire spells to ground the beasts. Hae-In leaped, her sword cleaving a wyvern's wing. Jin-Woo followed, using Ruler's Authority to crush another mid-air. [Fracture Beasts Eliminated: 6/12.]
The final two beasts were humanoid—shadow knights like Igris, but twisted, their armor dripping void. They spoke in unison: "Agnorath sees you, Monarch. You cannot escape his evolution."
Jin-Woo's blood ran cold. "Tell your master I'm coming for him."
He and Hae-In fought in sync, her light countering the knights' void. Jin-Woo absorbed one knight's essence with Shadow Echo, unlocking a fragment of Agnorath's realm: a vision of a throne, X-rank power radiating, and a voice: "Grow, Jin-Woo. Become my vessel." [Fracture Beasts Eliminated: 8/12.]
The Core Beast roared, shaking the ground. It charged, void flames erupting from its maw. Jin-Woo summoned his full army—hundreds now, a sea of shadows. "Hold it back!" he ordered. The army swarmed, but the beast's flames dissolved dozens. Hae-In flanked, her sword carving gashes, but the beast's scales were near-impenetrable.
Jin-Woo activated Shadow Echo again, slowing time. He saw its weakness—a glowing core in its chest. "Hae-In, distract it!" he shouted. She nodded, drawing its fire. Jin-Woo teleported behind, driving a Shadow Blade into the core. The beast screamed, void energy exploding outward. Jin-Woo shielded Hae-In with his body, the blast searing his back. [Core Beast Eliminated: 12/12. Fracture Stabilized. Reward: SS Rank Path Unlocked.]
The realm collapsed, spitting them back to Central Park. Jin-Woo staggered, burned but alive. Hae-In caught him, her eyes wide with worry. "You idiot, don't scare me like that!"
He grinned weakly. "Worth it."
The System chimed: [SS Rank Trial Initiated: Seek the Second Echo in Agnorath's Fringe Realm. Portal Coordinates Provided.]
Gun-Hee approached, his face grim. "You closed it, but people saw. Social media's buzzing about a 'shadow hero.' And Jin-Woo… Jin-Ah called. She's asking questions."
Jin-Woo cursed under his breath. His sister was too smart for her own good. "I'll talk to her. But first, we need Yoon-Ho. This is getting bigger."
As they left the park, Jin-Woo's Shadow Echo flickered unbidden. He saw Agnorath's throne again, closer now, X-rank power pulsing. A figure stepped from the shadows—not an echo, but an avatar of Agnorath himself, humanoid, with void eyes and a cruel smile. "You climb well, Monarch," it said. "But the higher you rise, the harder you'll fall."
Cliffhanger: Back home, Jin-Woo finds Su-Ho asleep, a tiny shadow pet—a miniature Igris—curled at his side, unnoticed by the boy. Jin-Woo's heart races. The System flashes: [Warning: Agnorath's Influence Detected in Host's Bloodline. Next Trial Awaits.]