The Seoul skyline shimmered under a twilight haze, its lights a fragile shield against the growing darkness. Sung Jin-Woo stood on his apartment balcony, the city's pulse blending with the faint hum of mana in the air. The System's latest warning lingered in his mind: [Warning: Agnorath's Influence Detected in Host's Bloodline. Next Trial Awaits.] His son, Su-Ho, asleep inside with a shadow pet—an uncanny miniature Igris—curled beside him, was proof the reset world wasn't safe. Agnorath, the X-rank entity orchestrating these fractures, was reaching closer, his void-tainted gaze now touching Jin-Woo's family.
Cha Hae-In joined him, her blonde hair catching the evening breeze. She'd seen the shadow pet too, her hunter instincts flaring. "Jin-Woo, that thing with Su-Ho… it's not normal. He's too young for powers."
Jin-Woo's fists clenched, his ES-rank senses scanning the apartment. The shadow pet was dormant, a faint echo of his own abilities, but its presence screamed Agnorath's influence. "I know," he said, voice tight. "The System's pushing me to SS-rank, but this isn't just about trials anymore. Agnorath's targeting us—me, Su-Ho, maybe Jin-Ah."
Hae-In's hand found his, her grip steady. "Then we hit back harder. What's the next trial?"
The System chimed, as if waiting: [SS-Rank Trial: Seek the Second Echo in Agnorath's Fringe Realm. Portal Coordinates: Mount Baekdu. Time to Collapse: 8 Hours.]
"Mount Baekdu," Jin-Woo said, frowning. "Far from Seoul. We need to move fast, but I'm not leaving Su-Ho unprotected."
Hae-In nodded. "Jin-Ah's with him now, but she's asking questions. You can't keep her in the dark much longer."
Jin-Woo's jaw tightened. His sister, Jin-Ah, was studying at university, blissfully unaware of the returning chaos. But her sharp mind would piece things together soon—especially with Su-Ho's shadow pet. "I'll talk to her after this trial," he promised. "First, we need Yoon-Ho. He's up north, near Baekdu. If anyone can help us tackle this realm, it's him."
Hae-In's eyes softened. "The old team's coming back together. Feels like the guild days."
"Except this time, the stakes are higher," Jin-Woo said, his purple-glowing eyes scanning the horizon. Another fracture was brewing, and Agnorath's shadow loomed larger.
By noon, Jin-Woo and Hae-In were on a private jet, courtesy of Go Gun-Hee's government connections. Woo Jin-Chul had stayed in Seoul, coordinating with police to monitor new mana spikes. Gun-Hee had promised military backup if the fracture at Mount Baekdu escalated, but Jin-Woo knew this was a hunter's fight. The jet hummed, cutting through clouds toward North Korea's border, where Baek Yoon-Ho ran a dojo in a remote village.
Jin-Woo stared out the window, his Shadow Echo skill twitching. A vision flickered: a frozen wasteland, Mount Baekdu's peak shrouded in void mist, and a figure—another echo of himself, this one wreathed in flames, snarling with rage. Agnorath's voice echoed faintly: "You climb, Monarch, but each step binds you to me."
Hae-In noticed his tension. "Another vision?"
He nodded. "The Second Echo. Stronger than the first. SS-rank, maybe touching SSS. And Agnorath… he's watching closer now."
She squeezed his arm. "We've faced worse. You beat the Monarchs, rewrote reality. This guy's just another obstacle."
Jin-Woo managed a smirk. "You always know how to keep me grounded."
The jet landed on a makeshift airstrip near Baekdu. Yoon-Ho was waiting, his white tiger-like aura still potent despite years away from hunting. His hair was streaked with gray, but his eyes burned with the same ferocity Jin-Woo remembered. "Sung Jin-Woo," Yoon-Ho said, grinning. "Heard you're stirring up trouble again."
"Not by choice," Jin-Woo replied, clasping his hand. "You in?"
Yoon-Ho laughed, cracking his knuckles. "Missed this. What's the target?"
"SS-rank fracture," Hae-In said, stepping forward. "Beasts and an echo—a twisted version of Jin-Woo. Tied to an X-rank called Agnorath."
Yoon-Ho's grin faded. "X-rank? That's above my pay grade. But I'm not sitting this out. Lead the way."
Mount Baekdu's slopes were rugged, snow-dusted, and eerily silent. The fracture glowed near the crater's edge, a massive crimson vortex twice the size of the Central Park rift. Jin-Woo's ES-rank senses mapped it: a swarm of SS-rank beasts inside, led by the Second Echo and a secondary "Fringe Guardian" beast, both radiating void energy. The air crackled, mana so thick it made Yoon-Ho wince.
"This ain't no dungeon," Yoon-Ho muttered. "Feels like stepping into hell."
Jin-Woo summoned Beru and Igris, their forms solidifying. "It's Agnorath's Fringe Realm. Stay sharp—his beasts don't fight like normal."
The System confirmed: [SS-Rank Trial: Defeat Second Echo and Fringe Guardian. Eliminate 10 SS-Rank Beasts. Warning: X-Rank Influence Intensifies.]
They stepped through the portal, reality warping into a frozen hellscape. Jagged ice spires pierced a red sky, void rivers snaking through the ground. The air burned with cold, each breath stinging. Jin-Woo's shadows stirred, restless under Agnorath's presence. Hae-In's light mana flared, countering the oppressive void, while Yoon-Ho's beast aura roared, eyes glowing white.
The first wave hit fast: five SS-rank beasts, panther-like, with void claws and flickering forms. Jin-Woo unleashed Shadow Dominion, the ground erupting with shadows. His army—eighty soldiers now—clashed, spears and claws tearing into the panthers. Hae-In moved like a comet, her sword slicing through void flesh, light burning away corruption. Yoon-Ho transformed, his beast form a massive white tiger, shredding two panthers in seconds. [SS-Rank Beasts Eliminated: 3/10.]
Jin-Woo fought with precision, Shadow Step carrying him between targets. He used Ruler's Authority to pin a panther, then drove a Shadow Blade through its heart. [Beasts Eliminated: 4/10.] The fifth was tougher, its void claws grazing his chest, leaving a burning wound. Hae-In finished it, her sword a blur. [Beasts Eliminated: 5/10.]
"These things are fast," Yoon-Ho panted, reverting to human form. "And they're learning."
Jin-Woo nodded, his Shadow Echo flickering. He saw the beasts' tactics shift, guided by an unseen will—Agnorath's. "Five more, then the real fight starts."
The second wave was brutal: five SS-rank wyrm-like creatures, their scales dripping void. They burrowed, attacking from below. Jin-Woo summoned Tusk, the orc shaman casting firestorms to flush them out. Yoon-Ho roared, claws tearing through scales, while Hae-In's light blade carved precise wounds. Jin-Woo used Shadow Echo to predict their movements, teleporting to strike weak points. [Beasts Eliminated: 10/10.]
The ground shook. The Fringe Guardian emerged—a colossal serpent, SSS-rank, its body a fusion of ice and void, eyes glowing with Agnorath's malice. "Monarch," it hissed, voice echoing in their minds. "You trespass in his domain."
Before Jin-Woo could respond, the Second Echo appeared—a mirror of him, wreathed in void flames, SS-rank power surging. "You're weak," it snarled. "Still clinging to that family. Agnorath will burn it all."
Jin-Woo's blood boiled. "Keep their names out of your mouth."
The battle erupted. Yoon-Ho tackled the serpent, his beast form grappling its coils. Hae-In flanked the Echo, her light clashing with its flames. Jin-Woo split his focus, summoning a hundred shadows to hold the serpent while he faced the Echo. Their blades met—shadow vs. void—in a clash that shook the realm. The Echo's flames burned hotter, forcing Jin-Woo back. His Shadow Echo showed its past: a Jin-Woo who abandoned Hae-In, consumed by power, now Agnorath's pawn.
"You're me if I failed," Jin-Woo growled, dodging a flame burst. He activated Shadow Dominion, trapping the Echo in a shadow cage. Hae-In struck, her sword weakening its flames. Jin-Woo finished it, absorbing its essence with Shadow Echo. [Second Echo Defeated. Skill Enhanced: Shadow Dominion Evolved – Area Expansion.] His control over shadows doubled, now covering miles.
The serpent roared, crushing half his army. Yoon-Ho was bleeding, barely holding on. Jin-Woo teleported to its head, using Ruler's Authority to crush its skull. Hae-In struck its core, light exploding. [Fringe Guardian Eliminated. SS-Rank Trial Complete. Reward: SS Rank Unlocked.]
The realm collapsed, spitting them back to Baekdu. Jin-Woo staggered, wounds burning with void residue. Yoon-Ho collapsed, grinning despite blood on his face. "Damn, Sung. You don't mess around."
Hae-In caught Jin-Woo's arm. "You okay?"
"Barely," he admitted, feeling the SS-rank power surge—his army stronger, senses sharper. But Agnorath's voice echoed: "You rise, but you'll kneel."
Back in Seoul, Jin-Woo faced Jin-Ah at her dorm. She crossed her arms, eyes blazing. "You're hunting again, aren't you? Don't lie, oppa. I saw Su-Ho's shadow thing."
He sighed. "It's complicated. Something's coming—Agnorath. I'm trying to stop it."
Her face softened, but her voice was firm. "Then let me help. I'm not a kid anymore."
Before he could argue, the System chimed: [SSS-Rank Trial: Enter Agnorath's Core Realm. Warning: X-Rank Avatar Detected.]
Cliffhanger: As Jin-Woo prepares to tell Jin-Ah more, his Shadow Echo triggers. He sees Agnorath's avatar—a towering humanoid of void and bone, X-rank, standing over Seoul's ruins. It holds Su-Ho's toy sword, laughing. "Come, Monarch. My realm awaits."