The city was waking under a muted sky, clouds rolling slowly across the horizon as if reluctant to let the sun pierce through. Keiran had been standing on the cracked asphalt for several minutes, hands buried deep in his coat pockets, trying to steady the uneven rhythm of his heartbeat. He could feel the subtle vibrations beneath his feet, a low hum that hinted at something stirring below the ruined streets. Dungeons had become commonplace after Jin-Woo's disappearance, yet every opening remained unpredictable, dangerous, and merciless. Keiran had never faced one alone.
As he approached the entrance of the abandoned office building, he saw the shattered windows, the collapsed walls, and the graffiti marking the place as recently cleared by lower-rank hunters. He inhaled sharply, the chill of the morning mingling with the stale scent of dust and rot. It was the kind of quiet that made the world feel suspended, like the moment before a storm breaks. And then the screech came.
From the shadows, small, twisted creatures leapt, teeth glinting, eyes burning crimson in the dim light. Keiran froze, muscles tense, trying to calculate the improbable — they were faster than his reflexes should allow. And then, a pulse surged in his chest. A strange, almost electric sensation, stretching and expanding as if awakening something dormant.
Time seemed to slow, each movement of the goblins tracing a visible arc in his vision. His hands moved before his mind could command them, dodging, swinging, and narrowly avoiding death. In that instant, an interface flashed in his perception — translucent, layered with numbers and boxes, alive and responsive. Keiran's mind understood instinctively: he could grow stronger, but only by learning, by reacting, by choosing.
He lunged sideways, narrowly avoiding a snapping jaw, and thrust his hand into the interface. A series of symbols glimmered, granting him insight, suggesting a strike that could end the fight swiftly. He didn't hesitate. Each goblin fell to the ground with a sharp thud, the last leaving a faint echo in the empty hall.
Breathing heavily, Keiran stepped back, staring at the interface fading from his sight. What… what just happened? His thoughts were scattered, tinged with both awe and disbelief.
A voice cut through the silence. "Not bad for a rookie."
Keiran turned sharply, eyes narrowing. From the shadows emerged a hunter clad in dark, practical armor, mid-level rank C. His gaze was sharp, calculating, but not without a trace of amusement. "You've got the Awakening," he said. "I can see it. Don't tell me this happened by accident."
"I… I don't know. It just… happened," Keiran stammered, still trying to reconcile the physical exhaustion with the surge of power in his mind.
Rho, as the hunter introduced himself, studied him with a careful intensity. "This changes things. An awakened human without shadow inheritance is extremely rare. You could either rise fast… or die just as fast. Understand that the world doesn't pause for anyone."
Keiran nodded, swallowing his fear. The city around them was restless. Rumors of newly awakened hunters had been circulating, each story adding tension to the fragile order. Guilds were reorganizing, vying for control, while whispers of rogue hunters challenged the established hierarchy. Jin-Woo's absence left a vacuum, and in that vacuum, ambition and chaos were the currency of survival.
Rho gestured toward the building's exit. "If you want to survive, you need guidance. Follow me for now, but remember: power is everything. Intentions mean little when the world tests you."
Stepping into the muted light of the morning, Keiran felt the weight of both vulnerability and possibility. His awakening was no mere gift — it was a path, one shaped by every decision, every fight, and every alliance he would choose. Outside, the hum of distant activity suggested more than ordinary life: another dungeon had opened, or perhaps the stirrings of something far more dangerous.
For the first time, Keiran considered the scale of what he had become. The pulse in his chest was faint but insistent, a reminder of latent potential. He clenched his fists, muscles trembling, and whispered to himself, I will survive. And I will define this era… on my terms.
The streets were empty yet alive, shadows stretching across broken walls and debris. Somewhere in the distance, the faint glow of another dungeon portal flickered, a beckoning call to the world beyond his limited understanding. Keiran took a step forward, feeling the rhythm of possibility and peril entwined in each motion. Each day, each challenge, each decision would sculpt him, forging a hunter not yet seen in the fragile balance of this new era.
As the morning light grew stronger, he understood that the real journey was only beginning. Alliances would be tested, rivals would appear, and monsters would rise that even Jin-Woo had never faced. But he was no longer ordinary. The Awakening had chosen him, and the new world — relentless, merciless, and alive — awaited.