The night sky was alive with a strange shimmer of blue and violet light. Mana flowed like a river above Seoul, swirling in delicate spirals that reached the clouds. Sung Jinwoo stood silently on the balcony of the Shadow Base, watching the flow of energy rise and fall as though the heavens were breathing.
Inside, the boy sat cross-legged, surrounded by faint floating symbols that hovered like starlight around him. His glow had grown stronger in the last few days, drawing attention from not only hunters but also from the shadows themselves. Every pulse of his energy resonated with Jinwoo's, creating a steady rhythm that linked them through the air.
Igris entered quietly, kneeling beside him. "Master, the hunters you once led have returned to the command center. They request your presence. Many of them believe that the next wave of beasts is near."
Jinwoo nodded slightly. "I can feel it too. The mana currents have shifted again. The balance is changing faster than before."
Beru appeared from the corner, wings folded. "The boy's power is expanding. The beasts are reacting to him. If Agnorath continues to rise, his influence will soon reach the physical world again."
Jinwoo turned toward the room where the boy sat and studied him carefully. "He is the key. Agnorath's link runs through him. Every pulse of this energy is part of Agnorath's preparation. We need to understand it before the next threshold manifests."
The boy looked up, sensing the concern in Jinwoo's voice. "Master, I can feel him. He is growing stronger every day. His realm is pulling at mine. Sometimes I see visions of a burning field and a dark sky. There are creatures waiting there."
Jinwoo's gaze softened. "That is the shadow realm of his creation. The beasts he commands are forming. You must not let the link control you. You are stronger than the power that flows through you."
The boy nodded silently, though his eyes still flickered with fear.
---
At the command center, Jinwoo's sister Jinah sat near a large display, surrounded by other hunters and analysts. Her face showed calm focus, though her fingers trembled slightly as she reviewed data streams filled with strange readings.
Opposite her stood Cha Hae-In, now one of the strongest hunters after Jinwoo. Her golden aura glimmered faintly, reflecting the concern she felt. "The readings are irregular. S Rank beasts are vanishing before we even detect their movement. It is as if something is consuming their energy directly."
Jinah looked up. "Could it be Agnorath again?"
Cha Hae-In hesitated before answering. "It could. Or something else born from his influence. We cannot be certain. But the moment Jinwoo left the battlefield years ago, something in the balance shifted. Now it feels as if that gap is being filled again."
The room grew quiet until Jinwoo himself entered. Every hunter present instinctively stood. Even without revealing his full power, his presence filled the space like a quiet storm.
"Sit," he said gently. "No need for formality."
Hyunwoo approached him. "Commander, we have confirmed the first anomaly of a new beast class. It does not match S or ES Rank energy. It feels heavier, more condensed, like liquid mana under pressure."
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed. "Show me."
The projection shifted, showing a creature towering over ruined buildings in another city. Its body was layered with crystalline scales that shimmered like obsidian glass. The air around it bent and crackled as though reality itself resisted its presence.
Jinwoo studied the readings. "This is the first sign of an SS Rank Beast. The threshold has been crossed."
The room fell silent. Even Cha Hae-In looked shaken. "Then the real battles are about to begin."
"Not yet," Jinwoo said quietly. "Observation first. We do not strike until the path is clear."
Meanwhile, deep within the shadows of another realm, Agnorath stood before a throne made of fractured stars. Streams of raw energy poured into his form, his wings spreading wide across the blackened horizon. Each pulse of his aura rippled across his realm like thunder.
He raised a hand, summoning a mirror of dark mana. Through it, he observed Jinwoo and the boy. "So, the shadow of my legacy has grown. But he still hesitates. He still observes. That patience will soon be his undoing."
As he spoke, new beasts formed behind him, their shapes twisting and contorting until they became solid. These were the first of his new army, infused with his growing XX Rank energy. Their eyes glowed with crimson fire, awaiting their command.
"Send them," Agnorath ordered. "Let them test his world. The Second Wave has begun, but now the true storm will follow."
The ground trembled as portals began to open across both realms. The connection between Agnorath's power and the mortal world deepened, and the faint hum of energy could be felt even through the calm night air in Seoul.
At the Shadow Base, Jinwoo suddenly straightened, his eyes flashing as his shadows stirred violently.
Igris immediately readied his sword. "Master, new portals detected. Unknown coordinates. The energy signature matches nothing we have seen before."
Beru spread his wings, his voice low and sharp. "They are not like the previous ranks. Their power feels condensed. Heavy."
Jinwoo stepped toward the main chamber, shadows crawling from his feet. "Prepare the vanguard. The first SS Rank beasts have entered our world."
The air around him grew heavy, and his shadow army began to materialize one by one. Igris, Beru, Tank, Iron, and dozens of others assembled silently. The boy watched, his blue light flickering rapidly as though reacting to the approaching danger.
Jinwoo looked back at him. "Stay close to Jinah. You are not ready to fight yet. Your energy still connects to Agnorath. If he senses you in the field, he may try to control you."
The boy nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Master."
Cha Hae-In entered the chamber, holding her twin blades. "The coordinates are ready. We will follow your lead."
Jinwoo gave a small nod. "Then we move."
When they arrived at the site, the ground was scorched, and the air shimmered with dense mana. The SS Rank beast towered before them, its eyes glowing like white fire. Around it lay the remains of S Rank creatures it had absorbed, their essence still leaking into the soil.
The hunters stood back, overwhelmed by its pressure. Only Jinwoo and his army moved forward with calm determination. The creature turned its gaze toward him, releasing a roar that shattered nearby glass and bent metal.
Jinwoo's shadows surged around him, silent and absolute. Igris raised his sword, and Beru's wings spread wide as they surrounded the creature. The battle began with no words spoken, only the sound of power clashing against power.
For hours the city shook. The beast's roars echoed through the ruins as Jinwoo's army fought with perfect precision. The creature's mana density was beyond anything they had faced before, but Jinwoo's strategy and control turned the tide slowly in his favor.
Finally, as dawn approached, Jinwoo struck the final blow. The shadow blade passed through the creature's chest, turning it into mist that dissolved into the morning air.
System Message: ES Rank threshold approaching completion. Current Power Evolution: Sung Jinwoo nearing ES Rank.
Jinwoo breathed steadily, lowering his hand. "The first SS Rank beast is gone. But this is only the beginning. Agnorath is watching."
Far away, in the darkness of his realm, Agnorath smiled faintly as if he had heard those words. "Yes, Jinwoo. Watch, wait, and rise. For when you reach the height of power, I will be waiting."
The connection faded, leaving only the hum of fading mana and the dawn light breaking through the clouds. Jinwoo looked toward the horizon, silent and thoughtful. The storm was no longer approaching. It had begun.