The next day dragged by slower than any Jihoon could remember. With the Eyes of the Unknown sealed for another twenty-four hours, the world around him felt empty—quiet in a way that made him restless.
He wandered through the quieter streets of the city, hoodie pulled, nothing to do. Just a stranger walking among the crowd, unable to return home .
> "I should've set a timer on the shapeshifting ritual," he muttered under his breath. "I'm an idiot."
Even now, with all he had seen, the little things slipped his mind. His family must've been worried sick. And yet… he couldn't risk walking into his home while looking like someone else.
By the time the sun dipped beneath the skyline, the curse mark behind his eyes pulsed faintly.
They were back.
---
The moment Jihoon reactivated the Eyes of the Unknown, the connection surged again like a needle through his skull. He winced, but welcomed it.
> "Nethrak."
The shadows whispered in response.
> "Undo the shapeshift."
With a ripple of sensation and a brief shimmer, his body returned to its original form. Tired eyes. His uniform. That familiar mop of black hair. Jihoon looked like himself again.
He ran all the way back.
---
His mother gasped the moment she opened the door. "Jihoon?!"
Tears welled in her eyes as she pulled him into a suffocating hug. His father stood behind her, stiff and silent but relieved.
"We called the police!" she cried. "You vanished without a trace. We thought—"
"I'm fine," Jihoon interrupted, rubbing the back of his neck. "My teleportation activated on its own. I ended up in another country. Took me two days to figure out how to get back…"
It was a lie. But one that would be easier for them to accept than the truth.
"You've already missed two days of school," his father muttered, though the scolding lacked any real heat. "Might as well rest today too."
---
Back in his room, Jihoon collapsed onto the bed with a long exhale. His head tilted toward the ceiling, but his mind was already sinking back into the dark.
> "Nethrak."
> "The monster corpses. Let's sacrifice them now."
A low hum echoed from his mind as the storage ring lit up. Dozens of mana-rich corpses floated midair, suspended in ghostly light as the Nethrak prepared the ritual.
> "Before you begin," Jihoon said, sitting up, "I want to choose how the teleportation ability works."
> "Speak. But know that your offering is limited."
Jihoon nodded.
> "I want to teleport anywhere."
> "Denied. Not enough sacrifice."
> "Okay… how about to any place I've seen before?"
> "Insufficient."
> "Ok, Any place I've seen in person or in a photo, but only in this world i am in ."
> "i suggest you say 'any place in the realm you are in at that moment'." Nethark said
> ok do that
> "Accepted."
> "Instant teleportation. No portals. Just blink and I'm there."
> "Accepted."
> "Can I still add more conditions?"
> "Only by sacrificing your own mana."
Jihoon hesitated.
> "Fine. I'll use half my current mana pool. I want this—if something dangerous approaches and I don't notice in time, I or the threat gets teleported away automatically."
Silence followed. Then…
> "Accepted. If your will is complete… I shall begin."
The Nethrak's whispers rose in a ghostly chant, consuming the corpses in waves of shadowy flame. The room darkened. Jihoon's limbs trembled, and the system prompt finally appeared.
---
[New Skill Acquired: Spatial Shift - Rank C]
> You may teleport instantly to any location in the realm you are in at that time ,that you've seen with your eyes or a visual representation.
> Passive Defense Added: Automatic spatial rejection when danger is imminent and unnoticed.
> Cost: Medium Mana
> Cooldown: 30 Seconds
---
Jihoon smiled. "Finally. A real ability. Not just seeing ghosts … this is power I can use in combat too."
But then, he noticed the blinking alert in the corner of his system window.
> [Level 2 Progress: 58%]
"Still…?" Jihoon stared. "I made a pact with a Nethrak. I should've unlocked the second ability already."
He called out.
> "Hey! Nethrak. Why hasn't my level progressed?"
But the shadow only hissed in reply.
> "Want something? Pay something."
"Tch." Jihoon leaned back and closed his eyes.
> "Fine. I'll train with my new ability for now… and prepare the exams