Chapter 5: First Confrontation
Hayden moved silently through the dense forest, Shadow Dagger in hand, the system pulsing with alerts about nearby high-level threats. He could feel their presence before he saw them S and SS-Rank hunters sent by the guild to investigate the rumors of the "dead weak hunter."
Kael, the brash S-Rank hunter, stepped forward, his massive sword glinting. "So you're the weakling who supposedly survived the Demon Abyss?" His voice carried mockery, but his eyes betrayed caution.
Hayden's lips curled into a small smile. "That's me," he said calmly, "but I don't plan on staying weak for long."
The hunters exchanged glances. An SS-Rank woman, Selene, approached from behind Kael. Her icy blue eyes locked onto Hayden, analyzing him with precision. "Interesting," she whispered to herself, "he's stronger than he looks… but why?"
Before anyone could react further, the system intervened.
[High-Rank Hunter Engagement Detected]
[Recommended Action: Test Combat | Optional: Avoid Conflict]
Hayden chose test combat. Shadow Step activated automatically, moving him behind Kael in an instant. With a flick of the Shadow Dagger, he struck a precise, controlled attack that left Kael staggered but unharmed.
Kael's eyes widened. "What…?"
Selene's gaze sharpened. She had seen countless S and SS-Rank hunters in battle, but the way Hayden moved fluid, confident, instinctive was unlike anything she'd witnessed. He wasn't reckless; every strike, every dodge, was calculated.
Hayden backed away, letting the shadow energy swirl around him. "I don't want to hurt anyone… yet," he said. "But if you attack, I won't hold back."
Kael laughed nervously, raising his sword, but the others hesitated. The air around Hayden crackled with a strange energy, shadows twisting and forming vaguely humanoid shapes around him, a subtle but terrifying display of his Shadow Manipulation skill.
Selene's heart skipped a beat. She had seen power before, incredible strength and skill but this… this was something else. He wasn't just leveling; he was rewriting the rules of what a hunter could be.
The group withdrew cautiously, not daring to challenge him further. Hayden watched them go, the system alerting him:
[High-Rank Hunters Withdrawn | Reputation Increased]
[New Task Unlocked: Strengthen & Prepare for Future Confrontations]
Selene lingered behind the others, her icy demeanor faltering ever so slightly. Hayden hadn't noticed her watching. And for the first time, she felt… curiosity mixed with admiration, a spark she didn't fully understand yet.
Hayden's journey had truly begun. Monsters, dungeons, and high-rank hunters weren't the only challenges ahead the world itself would have to reckon with the weakest hunter turned Player.