The night after Lin Xuan's first mission was unnervingly still.
The city of Valoria gleamed beneath moonlight, its mana lamps flickering faintly in the streets below. But from his apartment window, Lin Xuan could see something the others could not—
a faint distortion in the air, like the sky itself was breathing.
[ Passive: Soul Assimilation (Evolving…) ]
[ Synchronization Rate: 12% ]
[ External Anomaly Detected – Source: Abyssal Energy Signature ]
He frowned.
The notification had appeared the moment he'd returned from the Guild.
"Abyssal energy?" he muttered. "But I didn't touch a Rift…"
The System didn't respond—only a faint pulse of red light shimmered behind his vision before fading.
For the first time since his awakening, Lin Xuan felt watched.
Guild Briefing Hall
The next morning, the Assassin Guild was far busier than before.
Rows of black-robed killers stood before the mission board, voices low, movements precise.
The masked clerk from before—her nameplate now visible: Selene—was reading through new assignments.
When she saw Lin Xuan enter, she paused briefly. "You came early."
He nodded. "You said to pick the next mission carefully. So I'll let you choose."
Selene studied him, then turned to a sealed black envelope on the counter.
"This came from Central Guild," she said quietly. "It's above your rank, but… I have a feeling it's meant for you."
She slid the letter across the counter.
[ Mission: Abyssal Residue Investigation ]
Rank: D-Class (Special Permission Granted)
Objective: Investigate a corrupted site in the Western Graveyard District.
Notes: Unknown entity detected. Avoid direct combat if possible.
Reward: 1000 EXP + Skill Evolution Chance ]
"Abyssal… residue?" he repeated.
Selene nodded. "It's a remnant from a Rift that collapsed decades ago. No one should go near it alone."
"Then why send me?"
"Because you're the only new assassin with Abyssal readings in your registration data," she said.
Her tone was soft but heavy. "Whatever's happening to your System—it's attracting attention."
Western Graveyard District
The graveyard lay beyond the edge of Valoria's protective barrier, half-swallowed by vines and mist.
Broken statues, leaning crosses, and cracked mausoleums littered the ground.
Lin Xuan crouched near the gates, the System flickering alive.
[ Area Analysis: Abyssal Corruption – Moderate ]
[ Energy Signature: Unstable (Origin Unknown) ]
[ Recommended Action: Proceed with caution. ]
The air felt thick—alive, even.
Each breath carried whispers that weren't entirely human.
He moved through the ruins, silent as shadow.
Then, a faint red glow drew his eye—a crystalline shard buried in the soil, pulsing with sickly light.
He reached out carefully—
[ Warning: Abyssal Fragment Detected ]
[ Absorption Possible ]
[ Proceed? Y/N ]
He hesitated. Every instinct screamed danger.
But his curiosity—and his hunger—won out.
"Absorb."
The moment his hand touched the fragment, pain exploded through his body.
Flashes of another world filled his mind—rivers of black fire, skies made of screaming souls, and a colossal shadow that watched him from the void.
[ Soul Assimilation Reacting… ]
[ Unknown Data Integrated ]
[ Passive Mutation Detected ]
[ New Ability Unlocked: Abyssal Sense ]
He staggered, gasping for air.
His reflection in a nearby puddle flickered—his eyes glowing faint crimson for a heartbeat before returning to normal.
"What… was that?"
System Update
Status Panel
Name: Lin Xuan
Level: 8
Profession: Assassin (E-Class)
Talent: SSS – Silent Killer
Passive: Soul Assimilation (Evolving – Abyssal Influence Detected)
New Skill: [ Abyssal Sense I ] – Perceive energy signatures of demonic origin.
Hidden Quest: 5 / 100 Perfect Assassinations
Next Evolution: Shadow Reaper (Locked)
Strength: 23
Agility: 26
Perception: 21
The Voice in the Dark
He was about to leave when the air shifted again.
The mist moved against the wind, coiling into a vaguely humanoid form.
Two burning eyes opened within it.
"You're not supposed to be here… mortal."
Lin Xuan froze. The voice was low, ancient, echoing both inside and outside his mind.
"You carry the Abyss within you now. Tell me—was it your will, or your weakness?"
He drew his daggers instinctively, eyes narrowing. "What are you?"
A faint chuckle rippled through the fog.
"Names have no meaning here. But I can see your fate. A shadow that devours light… and yet fears to look at its own reflection."
[ Warning: Unknown Entity – Abyssal Projection ]
[ Threat Level: ??? ]
Lin Xuan didn't answer. He lunged.
His blade sliced through the mist—only for the form to vanish completely, leaving nothing but a whisper:
"We will meet again, shadow-born."
Aftermath
The red glow faded.
Only the faint hum of the System remained, steady and unsettling.
[ Mission Complete: Abyssal Residue Investigation ]
[ Reward: +1000 EXP ]
[ Bonus: Skill Evolution Chance Unlocked ]
[ Level Up! Lv. 8 → Lv. 10 ]
A flood of strength surged through him—but this time, it carried something else: a faint trace of that otherworldly energy.
He exhaled slowly, staring at his trembling hand.
"The Abyss…" he whispered. "It's inside me now."
And somewhere far beyond the world he knew—
in a place of fire and black skies—
a colossal eye opened briefly.
"The Catastrophe has begun to stir."
Status Panel (Update)
Level: 10
Passive Evolution: 25%
Mutation Detected: Partial Abyssal Resonance (Dormant)