The twisted forest fell silent.
The monsters Jin had slaughtered dissolved into ash and smoke, leaving behind only the smell of iron and decay.
And then—
the ground shook.
BOOM.
From deeper within the portal, something massive stirred. The trees bent, roots snapping as a figure emerged from the shadows.
The Guardian.
A hulking beast, standing over four meters tall, armored in bone-like plates. Its eyes glowed with burning gold, and in its clawed hands it held a jagged blade the size of a man.
From outside the portal, observers gasped as the mana surge rippled across the boundary.
"That's the boss…!"
"Even an S-rank would need to take that seriously."
"He's dead. That guy's already dead."
But inside, Jin only tightened his fists.
The Guardian roared, the sound shaking the earth. Then it charged.
BOOM!
Its blade cleaved through the air like thunder. Jin barely sidestepped, the impact splitting the ground where he had stood. Stone and dirt exploded outward.
The shockwave sent him tumbling back, but he steadied himself mid-roll, his coat scorched by the mana-infused strike.
"Tch…" Jin spat blood, his lip split.
"So this is the power of a Guardian…"
The beast attacked again, its movements shockingly fast for its size. Jin dodged, shadows erupting around his legs to propel him aside. The Guardian's blade grazed his shoulder, ripping through flesh.
Pain flared white-hot.
But Jin's eyes didn't waver.
Instead, a dark notification flickered across his vision:
[The Shadow adapts.]
[Pain Resistance +1]
His wound pulsed, and the black flames crawled across it, slowing the bleeding.
Jin gritted his teeth, a grim smile tugging at his lips.
"So you're feeding me… even now."
The Guardian swung again. Jin ducked low, shadows gathering along his arm like liquid steel. He drove his fist upward into the monster's chest.
BOOM!
The impact sent cracks splintering across the Guardian's armor, but the beast only roared louder, slamming its massive fist down.
Jin was thrown back, crashing against a tree that shattered like glass.
His vision blurred. His body screamed in pain.
But his shadows refused to fade.
Outside the portal, hunters were growing restless.
"Did you feel that impact?"
"Yeah. That was the Guardian's slam. Nobody survives that!"
"He's dead for sure."
But just as the crowd began to murmur, the portal pulsed. Black energy rippled from within, far darker than anything they'd felt before.
"What… what is that aura?"
Inside, Jin stood. Blood ran down his arm, but his eyes gleamed with cold fury. Shadows writhed around him like a living storm.
"Let's end this."
The Guardian charged, raising its blade. Jin surged forward, his body vanishing into a blur of black flame.
The two collided.
BOOOOOOM!
The sound thundered through the portal as darkness consumed the battlefield.
When the dust cleared, the Guardian staggered. A massive gash burned across its chest, black flames eating into its flesh.
It roared one final time before collapsing to its knees—then crashing lifelessly into the ground.
Jin stood over it, panting, blood dripping from his chin. His coat was torn, his body bruised, but his eyes… were sharper than ever.
A final whisper echoed in his mind:
[Guardian Defeated.]
[Shadow Assimilation: Complete.]
[Power +10]
Jin exhaled slowly, watching the beast dissolve into smoke.
"…Even this wasn't enough," he muttered.
His fist clenched.
"I'll need far more power… to hunt them down."
End of Chapter 7