He whispered:
“One day… I will devour everything.”
And for the first time, the abyss inside him responded.
The cold air of the surface world felt strange.
After spending so much time inside dungeons, the normal world seemed… artificial. Lights, voices, traffic, people rushing through their lives as if monsters and death did not exist beneath their feet.
Kai walked slowly through the city streets, his hood covering most of his face. His body had already recovered thanks to Flesh Regeneration, but the exhaustion in his mind remained. The constant tension, calculation, and control were draining.
Still, he welcomed it.
Because every moment of fatigue meant growth.
Every hardship meant evolution.
And every step brought him closer to his objective.
Power.
Absolute power.
He stopped in front of a large building.
The Hunter Exchange Association.
This was where hunters sold monster cores, materials, and rare dungeon resources. It was also one of the most monitored places in the city. Cameras, mana detectors, hidden guards.
Kai observed everything before entering.
Security is high… but predictable.
He adjusted his presence using Shadow Concealment Lv.1, lowering his aura. The system helped him suppress abnormal mana fluctuations.
He stepped inside.
The atmosphere was busy. Hunters negotiating, arguing, laughing, complaining. Some injured, some arrogant, some desperate.
Kai walked to the counter.
The clerk looked up, bored.
“Rank and identification.”
“Independent hunter,” Kai replied calmly.
The clerk sighed. “Again… fine. Show materials.”
Kai placed a bag on the counter.
The moment the cores appeared, the clerk’s expression changed.
“Rank C… and this quantity?”
Kai said nothing.
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The clerk swallowed.
“Wait here.”
Minutes passed.
A manager arrived.
A woman in a formal suit, sharp eyes.
She studied Kai.
“Impressive results. You cleared multiple dungeons alone?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
She tapped the screen.
“We will purchase everything. Total: 2.4 million credits.”
Kai remained calm, but inside, his mind calculated.
Enough for equipment.
Training.
Future investments.
“Acceptable.”
The transfer was completed.
As he turned to leave, the woman spoke again.
“If you ever want guild support, we have connections.”
Kai glanced at her.
“I prefer freedom.”
She smiled slightly.
“Of course.”
Outside, Kai checked his account.
For the first time since his betrayal, he had real resources.
But money alone was meaningless.
Power was the only currency that mattered.
He headed toward the equipment district.
The district was filled with shops, forges, and magical workshops. Weapons, armor, artifacts, enchanted tools. Every hunter’s dream.
Kai entered one of the most discreet but high-quality stores.
The old owner looked up.
“You look dangerous for someone so young.”
Kai smiled faintly.
“Danger is relative.”
The man laughed.
“What do you need?”
“A weapon. Durable. Adaptable. Suitable for close and mid-range combat.”
The owner studied him.
“Not a standard hunter, I see.”
He brought several weapons.
Kai tested each one.
Balance.
Weight.
Material.
Mana compatibility.
Finally, he chose a dark blade—simple, but infused with shadow-reactive alloy.
“This one,” Kai said.
The owner raised an eyebrow.
“Good choice. It will grow with you.”
“Perfect.”
He also bought light armor, flexible, allowing mobility and shadow manipulation.
After equipping everything, Kai felt different.
More complete.
More prepared.
That night, he returned to his small apartment.
For the first time, he allowed himself to rest.
But before sleeping, he opened the system.
A full status window appeared.
Kai paused.
“So the system rewards not only combat… but thinking.”
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Skills
– Manipulate shadows for attack, defense, movement.
– Accelerated healing. Minor limb repair possible.
– Temporary defense increase.
– Reduce presence and detection.
– Gain one random boss ability after devouring.
Hidden Growth Effects
Kai stared at the last line.
Strategic Adaptation.
So the system was evolving him.
Not just physically.
Mentally.
This confirmed his suspicion.
The experiment that created the system was not meant to produce brute warriors.
It was designed to create something far more dangerous.
A perfect predator.
He leaned back in his chair.
His mind replayed the dungeon battle.
The leader’s movements.
The gap between them.
The future.
Joining the guild would give him access to information, stronger dungeons, resources, and opportunities.
But also risk.
Exposure.
Suspicion.
Kai closed his eyes.
“Too early for revenge.”
Instead, he would grow inside the enemy’s territory.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Like poison.
The abyss inside him stirred again.
A quiet voice.
A memory of the Guardian.
“Devour not only power… devour the world.”
Kai opened his eyes.
A faint smile appeared.
“Then let’s begin.”
Tomorrow, he would accept the guild invitation.
Tomorrow, his real hunt would start.
And one day…
He would stand at the top of the abyss.
