That same night, as Sebastian tried to process his transformation, a new system window appeared before him:
> [Detected: An Unstable Gate Approaching – Estimated Rating: C]
[Time Remaining Until Activation: 11 Hours]
[Chance to Obtain Early Evolution Core: 17%]
"An unstable gate?" he frowned. This type of gate was unpredictable and dangerous. Normally, only Rank B Ascendants or higher would be assigned to them.
So why had this notification appeared for him?
He tapped "More Info," and a single line appeared:
> [A challenge tailored to accelerate your ascent... if you are worthy.]
He swallowed hard.
The system was merciless, but it never lied.
If he could overcome this trial, he might finally break the limits his body had carried since birth.
---
By morning, he had reached the rendezvous point.
There, he met a small team assigned to the gate: four other Ascendants, all Rank D. He was the fifth.
Their expressions were a mix of confusion and doubt.
"You're with us?" one of them asked.
"Sebastian? The guy who used to clean gates?"
"The very same," another chuckled mockingly. "Looks like the guild's throwing us to the wolves."
He didn't reply.
Instead, he scanned their weapons and noted their positions.
> [Team Analysis: Survival Chance – 42%, if everyone sticks to the plan]
He whispered, "Good enough."
Then, they stepped into the gate.
---
The inside was dark… darker than usual.
The floor was damp, a musty stench filled the air, and broken walls suggested this had once been a temple.
But one thing made Sebastian's heart sink:
The silence.
He knew this kind of silence.
The kind that comes before slaughter.
"Stick together!" he suddenly commanded, offering no explanation.
Three seconds later, they all heard it—
A low hum... then a roar.
From the shadows emerged wolf-like beasts, their eyes glowing blue, their jaws dripping acid.
"Corrosion Wolves!" someone shouted—and the battle began.
---
Everything changed here.
While the others stumbled back, screaming in panic, Sebastian moved with sharp precision.
Shadow Switch — he teleported behind one of the wolves at the last second.
A precise strike to the neck — instant kill.
He turned. Another wolf lunged at him.
> [Shadow Eye: Predicting attack path]
He slid beneath it, plunging his dagger deep into its belly.
"Two down... four left," he muttered, and dashed toward the next target.
---
The fight ended in just two minutes—
But not because of the team.
Because of him.
He stood atop the final corpse, dirtied but completely unharmed.
The others were stunned.
"W... was that really Sebastian?"
"What the hell just happened?"
"What kind of skills does he have?!"
He said nothing.
His gaze was fixed on the far end of the chamber—where the walls began to tremble, and the gate behind them… started to close.
> [Phase Two Initiated]
---
"What the hell?! Why is the gate closing?!" one of them cried.
Sebastian murmured, "A multi-phase challenge… looks like the system won't let us leave until it's done."
The walls shifted. Strange runes glowed.
Doors opened to branching corridors.
> [Choose the correct path to survive. You have 3 attempts.]
He stared ahead, then closed his eyes.
> [Shadow Eye: Death Energy Analysis]
One of the paths glowed with a deep red hue.
"Not that one. Third path from the left," he said calmly and led the way.
---
Inside the tunnel, the pressure grew.
The air thickened. The ground trembled.
A monstrous creature appeared, dragging a massive blade behind it—
A single eye glaring.
"A high-tier C-rank Ghoul... we're dead," someone whispered.
Sebastian looked up and activated a new skill:
Shadow Inversion – Level 2
His body merged with the ghoul's shadow—reappearing above its head.
In an instant, his dagger pierced its only eye.
A deafening roar, then a heavy fall.
But it wasn't over.
> [Phase Two Cleared. Phase Three: "The Choice" Initiated]
---
Three pedestals emerged—each bearing a box.
"One contains a Core. The others are traps," the system said.
The others hesitated.
Sebastian stepped forward, inspecting each box. He placed his hand on them one by one.
> [Shadow Eye: Energy Flow Detection]
"This one," he said, pointing to the third.
A burst of black light exploded, followed by a system message:
> [Obtained: Primitive Shadow Core – Grade F+]
[Would you like to merge?]
"Yes."
Darkness engulfed him.
But he didn't scream.
He only opened his eyes...
And smiled.
> [Core Merged. Activated: Heart of Shadow]
[+50% Shadow Skill Efficiency, Gradual Energy Recovery During Combat]
---
They emerged from the gate hours later—
But the world had changed.
Those who saw Sebastian would never forget his glowing eyes, his chilling voice, or his deadly precision.
> [New Title: Shadow Disciple]
[Rank: F+ → E-]
But he didn't stop.
This was only the beginning of his rise.