Prologue: The Graveyard of Shadows
"Before man opened his eyes… this world was already a graveyard."
Long ago, a devastating war erupted between the Sovereigns and the Shadow Demons, shaking the heavens and drowning the earth in blood.
For ten years, the world burned.
Eventually, the demons were sealed—
Behind what is now feared as the Gate of Shadows.
The Eight Sovereigns vanished into the darkness.
Yet, one turned back before fading completely.
"They left behind a prophecy..."
"When the seal breaks, mankind will rise... and so will the shadows once again."
In the 16th century, rumors began to spread of a mysterious cave. Curious and brave, five adventurers—Yuriko Setsuna, Aiko Sorasen, Ichiro Zenko, Kade Hamolton, and Jinmaru Soryu—ventured into its depths.
As they explored, they discovered strange sculptures and ancient drawings, unlike anything seen before. Deeper within the cave, they found a massive, sealed gate inscribed with symbols in a language unknown to man.
Curiosity overtook caution. The adventurers opened the gate—
And unknowingly changed the course of history.
The demons sealed away for millions of years were unleashed.
Black skies thundered with blue lightning. Chaos returned.
But this time, the shadow army that once opposed the demons chose to bond with humanity.
—
Present day.
Inside a quiet library, a young man named Ren Akatsuki read through the old legends of the Sovereigns —their power, their war, and the prophecy that one of their successors would be chosen from among humans.
Over 300 years had passed since the Gate was opened...
But there had been no sign of the Sovereign's return.
Suddenly, Ren remembered he had a mission to complete with his team. He rushed out of the library.
Since the seal's breaking, humanity had adapted to the new world. Those who fought the shadow demons became known as Shadow Hunters or Shadow Bounds.
People were ranked based on skill, stamina, and their connection to Shadow Power—also called Shadow Mana. The known ranks ranged from A to F, with A-rank and higher being highly respected. Most hunters fell between ranks B and E.
And F-rank?
There was only one known Shadow Bound ranked F in the entire world—
Ren Akatsuki.
Because of his rank, Ren was often disrespected, ignored, or underestimated. Yet, he remained loyal to humanity, never wavering.
Above the regular ranks, there were two higher tiers—Rank S and the legendary Rank X. Only 20 known Rank S hunters existed globally. As for Rank X... it had appeared only once in human history. Its power was said to transcend understanding.
S-rank hunters could use multiple skills beyond ordinary limits—healing, combat arts, energy blasts—but their numbers were few. And Ren, despite being mocked, continued to train.
—
Soon, Ren arrived at the mission cave—but the task was already completed.
As the team members exited, he heard whispers:
"Why does the team leader let him stay on the team?"
"He's useless... just a burden."
Yet not everyone agreed. Some teammates—his true friends—recognized his determination and helped train him to survive.