The moon hung high over the Kim estate, casting long, silver shadows across the manicured lawns. Inside his room, Han-wool sat on the edge of his bed. The adrenaline of the dinner had faded, replaced by a deep, aching exhaustion.
It wasn't physical fatigue. His body, enhanced by the goblin cores, was humming with energy. It was the mental toll of wearing a mask.
Knock. Knock.
A soft, hesitant rapping came from the door. It was too gentle to be Logan, and too polite to be any of his brothers.
Han-wool's breath hitched. He knew that knock.
"Come in," he said, his voice softening instinctively.
The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside. She was dressed in a simple silk nightgown, a shawl draped over her shoulders to ward off the chill. Her face was pale, framing eyes that held a perpetual sadness, but when they landed on Han-wool, they warmed instantly.
It was his mother, Lady Seo-yun.
In the current era, people saw her as a frail, sickly woman living in the shadow of the Sword Saint. But Han-wool knew the truth. Before she married into the Kim family, she was one of the country's most powerful Solo Hunters.
She had retired not because of age, but because of a tragedy. Years ago, during a dungeon break, she had taken a hit meant for his father—a curse from a venomous boss monster. It was an incurable poison that damaged the mana circuits, weakening the body the more mana was used. Out of guilt, or perhaps affection, Kim Hyeon had taken responsibility and married her.
But in Han-wool's previous life, she had been the first to die.
He remembered the screaming. During the first week of the apocalypse, a horde of Orcs had breached the manor. Lady Seo-yun, despite her broken body, had forced Han-wool and Hajin into a hidden passage. She had drawn the monsters away, burning the last of her life force to buy them time.
Her final scream as the Orcs tore her apart had haunted him for thirty years.
"Wool-ah," she whispered, closing the door behind her. "Are you awake?"
Han-wool stood up quickly. "Mother. You should be resting. The doctor said your constitution is weak."
"I couldn't sleep," she said, walking over and sitting on the bed beside him. She reached out and cupped his face. Her hands were cold. "I heard what happened at dinner. Do-hyun... he was cruel to you again."
Han-wool leaned into her touch. For a moment, the legendary Thief, the slayer of the Lich King, was just a boy again.
"It's okay, Mother," Han-wool lied, forcing a smile. "Brother Do-hyun was just stressed. And... he got punished by Father, remember?"
Seo-yun sighed, her eyes glistening. "Your father... he only cares about strength. He sees Hajin as a trophy and Do-hyun as a soldier. And you..."
She paused, her thumb stroking his cheek. "He sees you as a failure. But you are not a failure to me, Wool-ah. You are my kind, gentle boy. I don't care if you are Red Grade or F-Rank. I just want you to be safe."
Han-wool's heart clenched.
Safe.
In this world, "safe" was a lie. In three months, the sky would tear open. In three months, these walls would crumble. Being kind wouldn't save her. Being gentle wouldn't stop the monsters from tearing her apart.
I can't let that happen again, he vowed internally. I will burn the world down if I have to, just to keep you alive.
"I know, Mother," Han-wool said aloud, his voice steady. "I promise I'll be safe. I won't let anyone hurt us."
She smiled, a sad, fragile thing. "You sound so grown up suddenly. My little thief of hearts."
She kissed his forehead and stood up. "Try to sleep, my son. Don't let your brother's words weigh on you."
"Goodnight, Mother."
As the door clicked shut, the warmth left the room. Han-wool stood there for a long moment, staring at the wood grain.
Then, his eyes shifted. The warmth in his gaze vanished, replaced by the cold, red glint of a predator.
"I need to be stronger," he whispered. "To protect her, I need to be then any other monster."
The next morning, the sun had barely crested the horizon when Han-wool arrived at the Mana Training Building.
It was a state-of-the-art facility located on the west side of the estate, built exclusively for the Kim family. The walls were reinforced with mana-dampening alloy, and the center of the room housed a Tier-4 Holographic Simulator.
"Young Master," Logan said, typing commands into the control console. "Are you sure about these settings?"
"Yes, Logan."
"But Young Master... the target is an Orc," Logan hesitated, his finger hovering over the enter key. "An Orc is a D-Rank monster at minimum. It possesses high physical defense and overwhelming strength. At your current level..."
"Just do as I say, Logan," Han-wool ordered, stepping onto the simulation platform. "I need to know where I stand."
"Yes, Young Master."
Logan sighed and initiated the program.
Vwoom.
The white room dissolved. Digital pixels reconstructed the environment, turning the floor into damp soil and the walls into a dense, ancient forest.
Thump. Thump.
From the digital treeline, a massive figure emerged. It stood seven feet tall, its skin a mottled grey-green, with tusks protruding from its lower jaw. It wielded a jagged battleaxe.
[Simulation Target: Orc Warrior]
[Rank: D]
"Perfect," Han-wool muttered.
The Orc roared and charged. The ground shook with each step.
Han-wool didn't retreat. He sprinted toward the dense treeline of the holographic forest, seeking cover.
I can't fight it head-on with Strength 12, he analyzed. I need to use my new tools.
Once he was deep in the shadows of the digital oak trees, Han-wool stopped.
"Status Window."
> [Skill: «Darkness» (Lv. 1)]
> [Type: Active / Passive]
> [Description: You can manipulate shadows within a 5-meter radius. At low levels, it can be used to obscure vision or hide presence. High affinity with 'Thief' class detected.]
>
"Let's see what this trash skill can do," Han-wool muttered.
He extended his hand. "Darkness."
Vwoom.
The shadows under the oak tree rippled. Like black ink spilled in water, the darkness rose up, swirling around his hand.
It felt... cold. Viscous. It wasn't just an absence of light; it was a physical substance.
Suddenly, a system alert flashed, signaling a reaction between his class and the skill.
> [Skill Evolution Activated!]
> [Condition Met: «Thief's Evasion» + «Darkness»]
> [Evolution Complete: «Shadow Step» (Prototype)]
>
Han-wool blinked. "Status Window."
> [Skill: «Shadow Step» (Lv. 1)]
> [Type: Active / Passive]
> [Description: You can merge with shadows. Maximum Range: 12 Steps.]
> [Effect: Create shadow images and hide presence.]
> [Restriction: At low levels, only 5 Steps can be used consecutively.]
>
"Interesting." Han-wool's voice sounded distorted, echoing from everywhere and nowhere.
He took a step. He didn't just walk; he glided. He felt lighter, as if the darkness was carrying him. He merged with the shadow of a large tree, his physical form becoming translucent.
The Orc crashed through the bushes, sniffing the air. It looked right at the tree where Han-wool was standing but couldn't see him.
It works, Han-wool thought. I can strike from here.
He prepared to lunge, gripping his dagger. But as he sank deeper into the shadow state, the world around him began to vibrate.
Wooooong.
It wasn't the simulation. It was the mana itself. The Shadow Step skill was acting like an antenna.
> [You sense a familiar energy resonance nearby.]
>
Because the Training Hall was located near the Meditation Chamber, the dark mana Han-wool was using connected to a similar frequency nearby.
Static.
Then, a voice.
It wasn't the Orc. It was coming from the shadows.
"...The vessel is weak... the brother is a variable... grant me power... Black Sun..."
Han-wool froze mid-step. That was Do-hyun's voice.
He's communicating with them? Right now?
Han-wool clenched his fist. The shadows around him spiked aggressively, reacting to his anger. He focused, pushing his consciousness deeper into the resonance to hear the other side of the conversation.
Static.
Then, a raspy, ancient voice echoed in his head, transmitted through the frequency of the dark mana.
"...Do not worry, Contractor. The plan remains. The Swordmaster must be brought to Mount Chiri before the Awakening. As for the Thief... if he is a nuisance... kill him."
Han-wool's eyes widened in shock.
Mount Chiri? They want to feed Hajin to the Lich King?
The revelation hit him like a physical blow. His concentration shattered. The usage of «Shadow Step» faltered.
Flicker.
The cloak of darkness vanished. Han-wool materialized in the middle of the clearing, exposed and distracted.
"Young Master! Look out!" Logan's voice screamed over the intercom.
Han-wool snapped his head up, but it was too late.
The Orc, having spotted its prey, was already mid-swing.
"ROAR!"
The massive battleaxe descended like a guillotine. Han-wool tried to raise his dagger to block, but the difference in stats was absolute.
CRACK!
The force of the blow smashed through his guard. The blade buried itself into his shoulder, and the sheer weight of the monster crushed him into the dirt.
> [Critical Hit!]
> [HP: 0 / 250]
>
[Simulation Failed.]
The world shattered into blue pixels.
The Orc vanished. The forest vanished.
Han-wool was left kneeling on the metal floor of the training room, gasping for air, clutching a shoulder that was no longer injured but throbbed with phantom pain.
"Young Master!" Logan rushed into the room, a medical kit in hand. "Are you alright? I told you an Orc was too dangerous! Your heart rate spiked dangerously high!"
Han-wool sat there, sweat dripping down his face. He wasn't trembling from the defeat. He was trembling from the rage.
"I'm fine, Logan," Han-wool whispered, his voice dark.
He stood up, wiping the sweat from his eyes. The loss in the simulator didn't matter. He had gained something far more valuable than combat experience. He had the enemy's playbook.
"They want a sacrifice?" Han-wool pulled out the Goblin Dagger he had secretly swiped. He flipped it in his hand, the blade catching the fluorescent light.
"Logan."
"Y-Yes, sir?"
"Get the car ready."
"Where are we going, Young Master? The hospital?"
Han-wool looked at the exit, his eyes burning with a cold, blue fire.
"No. We're going hunting. I need to raid a lot more dungeons."
If they want to feed my brother to the darkness, Han-wool thought, then I will become the darkness that eats them first.