He glanced at the sky through the crack of the door. Tiny, shimmering dots had begun to appear in the heavens. Though the light hadn't fully faded yet, night was coming. Noctis stared at the stars for a few more seconds, then stepped back inside.
He approached the creature's flesh and sat nearby. While the sun was still shining, he had searched the house but found nothing useful.
The stench of the meat was nauseating, yet hunger burned in his gut. His face was twisted in disgust, and his stomach growled nonstop. He had wrapped the part of the Disgusting Shroud covering his wounded arm around the injury. The pain persisted, but his focus was on the foul-smelling chunks of flesh, not the wound.
He stopped breathing through his nose and inhaled through his mouth instead.
Slowly, he leaned closer to the meat and picked up a small piece. He turned it in his hand, examining it.
'It'd be better cooked… but I have no tools—and the smell would draw attention.'
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes.
He lifted the piece toward his mouth.
Even without breathing through his nose, the stench still clung to the air.
He bit down hard on the small piece.
His face contorted further as he chewed.
The raw flesh was tough, stringy, and bitter—he forced himself to swallow it. It was one of the few times he'd ever eaten meat, but he hated every second of it.
'Tastes worse than those nutrient packs…'
He ate a few more bites, grimacing after each one. When the last piece was gone, he leaned back and exhaled shakily. For several minutes, he rested his head against the wall, trying to forget the disgusting experience.
Then, once again, his gaze drifted toward the narrow gap of the door. The final rays of sunlight had vanished. Through the opening, the stars looked almost beautiful. Slowly, everything was swallowed by darkness.
He couldn't see anything anymore—only the faint smell told him where the meat was.
The hunger was gone, and he suspected it would stay that way for a while.
In the unsettling silence of the night, he sat with his back against the wall. Fear still gripped him; every time the wind rustled outside, his heart leapt. Yet what truly tormented him wasn't the fear— it was the endless storm of thoughts he couldn't escape. All he could do now… was think.
'Why isn't this trial over yet? It told me to kill the shadows… and I did. I killed one. So why am I still here?'
Noctis wrestled with the storm in his head, but not for long. Gradually, faint sounds began to rise in the silence.
His eyes widened, cold sweat tracing down his back. He wanted to believe it was just his imagination, but deep down he knew—it was real. Each passing second made his fear grow stronger.
He clenched a fistful of the shroud with one hand, while the other reached for the chain-wrapped sword, gripping it tightly. The noise terrified him—but that wasn't the worst part.
There was more than one.
The echo of dozens of footsteps striking the ground filled the air. Each heavy thud vibrated through the dust and into his chest. Fear alone would have been enough—but curiosity clawed its way through. The sounds were distant, yet strangely familiar.
Noctis slowly rose to his feet and stepped toward the doorway. He leaned closer, careful not to make a sound, and peered through the narrow crack. His eyes widened in shock.
The sight both chilled and stunned him—
dozens of orange lights flickered in the distance. From what he could tell, the lights were held by riders mounted on horses. For a brief moment, hope sparked inside him.
'People? Should I… ask for help?'
He watched the approaching glow for a while longer, then hurried back inside to find the torn shirt he'd thrown aside. He found it, threw it on, and returned to the doorway.
The trembling lights moved along the wide, ruined road. As they drew nearer, an uneasy feeling crept over him. He narrowed his eyes, studying them closely.
The closer the lights came, the louder the sounds grew— and then he heard it: screams.
The realization hit him like ice water.
His fingers dug into the cracked wall, eyes wide open.
The screams grew louder with every second.
The lights came closer. One of the glowing orbs at the rear suddenly fell from above and vanished. The sense of danger inside him exploded.
One by one, the rear lights began to fade out.
When they finally drew near, the brightness forced him to avert his eyes. He blinked once—then froze. He couldn't even breathe.
Behind those dozens of flickering lights,
he saw it— the monster he had killed.
The same grotesque creature, walking among them. He could see only a few shapes through the glare, but he knew—there were many more.
He had barely managed to kill one of them.
Trained warriors—especially those cursed as Sinners— could slaughter them with ease.
But ten of them—no, dozens—was far too many. The lights drew closer, until Noctis could see them clearly. Just as he feared, dozens of green-eyed monsters were chasing the riders.
Several people dashed past the building where he hid. Their faces were hollow, twisted with terror.
Another rider passed even closer, and Noctis caught sight of the emblem on the man's armor—
a stag inside a circular crest.
'Those are River's soldiers…'
Noctis instinctively stepped back.
One mounted soldier sped past, and for a split second their eyes met.
Noctis froze, then jerked away.
The monsters' piercing shrieks grew louder—
a screech that felt like it came from everywhere at once. He wanted to cover his ears, but before he could, another sound reached him—
much nearer this time.
Something was slamming into the ground again and again. Cold sweat ran down his back; his hair bristled. It was the sound of heavy leaps.
A hand suddenly gripped the doorframe.
A second hand followed.
In the next heartbeat, a man heaved himself upward into view, stumbling forward as he climbed in.
The faint light spilling through the doorway outlined his silhouette. Noctis could hear his ragged breaths, quick and uneven. The figure shifted—metal glinted in his hand.
A sword.
Noctis tightened his grip on his own weapon, ready to strike— but then, a clatter echoed as metal hit the floor.
A trembling, breathless voice broke the silence of the dark:
"Please… let me stay here for a while.
I swear I mean no harm."
Noctis didn't lower his guard.
Fear pricked at him, but he kept his composure. His voice came out low and steady.
"Why were the monsters chasing you?"
Neither could fully see the other.
Occasionally, a flash of light from outside lit their shapes for an instant, but their faces remained buried in shadow.
After a few moments, the man answered, his tone still shaking:
"Dozens of them attacked the kingdom all at once… We killed some, but their numbers kept growing. We had to run."
The sickening cries of the creatures echoed nearby. The man turned toward the doorway, then back to Noctis.
"Please… may I step forward first?"
Noctis stayed silent for a few seconds before replying calmly:
"Don't get too close."
The man moved forward slowly, then sat down against the wall. His breathing was heavy, uneven. Noctis relaxed his stance slightly—but he stayed alert, listening carefully to the rhythm of the stranger's breath in the dark.
A few more lights passed by outside, followed by the chilling sound of dozens of footsteps.
Heavy boots struck the ground, each thud vibrating through Noctis's chest.
His eyes stayed locked on the door.
Then, the man suddenly spoke—
and Noctis nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Why does this place smell so disgusting?"
Noctis snapped back in a sharp whisper.
"Are you trying to get us killed? Stay quiet."
The noise outside faded, but Noctis grew even more uneasy.
"I'm sorry," the man murmured, "but why should I be quiet?
They can't hear me anyway…"
Noctis raised a brow, caught off guard.
"How's that supposed to mean?"
The man was silent for a few seconds before answering.
"They can't hear… and they can't smell, either.
Why do you think I came to a place that reeks this bad?
They only have eyes."
Noctis froze, startled.
He relaxed a little—but not enough.
He had gotten so used to the stench that he'd forgotten the monsters were drawn to scent.
'If Grandpa heard that… all his hard work would've gone to waste.'
Minutes passed.
The footsteps outside gradually faded into the distance. Noctis glanced toward the direction of the man's breathing and spoke softly.
"They're gone.
You should go too."
The breathing stopped.
Noctis tightened his grip on the sword, ready for anything.
Then the man's trembling voice broke the silence.
"But the shadows… if I go now, I'll die for sure.
Please, just let me stay until morning."
Noctis's tone was calm, but hard as steel.
"...That's not my concern."
He had barely finished speaking when a thought struck him.
'Wait. He might actually be useful.'
Keeping his composure, he spoke again.
The man's breaths were shaky, nervous.
"...Give me information, and you can stay until dawn."
There was a pause. Then—
"All right."
Noctis's cracked lips curved faintly.
"Do you know where the shadows gather most?"
Silence. Then confusion in the man's voice.
"The shadows? Do you have a death wish?"
Noctis understood his disbelief but didn't waver.
"Just answer the question."
"Are you… a shadow hunter?" the man asked, curiosity cutting through his fear.
Noctis's patience thinned.
"Yes. I am. Now tell me."
The man hesitated again.
"There's a Shadow Garden near my kingdom… and also the Chained Mountains, and the Temple of the Shadow Angel."
One of the names was familiar—
but the others were new.
"What are those last two?"
"I don't know much about the mountains,"
the man admitted,
"but they're far away… The temple, though—it's close."
Noctis gestured for him to go on.
"It's just under half a day's walk without a horse. I only passed by once, but there were a lot of shadows there… strangely, none of them attacked."
He paused, then continued in a shaky, half-reverent tone.
"The old mages used to say it was once a temple devoted to an angel. They claimed it was beautiful, long ago. But now the angel's vanished, and most of the structure's collapsed. It only appears at night."
He went silent, waiting for Noctis to respond.
When no sound came, the man tensed.
'Why am I even interested in that place?
Even if I go there, it doesn't mean the trial will end…'
Noctis spoke suddenly, startling him.
"Are there other monsters there?
And what's the shadows' tier?"
The man's voice trembled.
"No other monsters…
and from what we know, they're First-Tier."
A long silence fell.
Thoughts churned in Noctis's mind like a storm.He could feel the hunger in his core stirring—and it grew stronger the moment the temple's name was mentioned.
He exhaled quietly, eyes still fixed on the crack of the door. Something caught his attention.
Noctis frowned and looked down.
A faint light shimmered on his finger.
He quickly hid it from view— the soldier must not see it.
The Moon Sigil was glowing.
Every night, it released that same strange pulse—one he'd always ignored. Until now.
The crescent-shaped part of the ring emitted a faint, silvery-gray light.
Noctis frowned in confusion.
'Why is it glowing all of a sudden?'
With every passing second, something strange stirred within him— a feeling he couldn't quite define. It was like a blend of curiosity, hunger, and a faint surge of hatred he struggled to suppress.
He slipped his hand beneath the disgusting shroud. The only sounds that filled the silence were two breaths— one tense and uneven, the other strangely quick.
'The Fallen Shadow Angel… I have to go there.'
Noctis exhaled quietly, almost to himself.
"If I go there… what are my chances of surviving?"
No response came for several seconds.
"I don't know," the man finally whispered.
"No one's ever gone near the temple."
The uncertainty only deepened Noctis's confusion. His instincts screamed danger,
but somewhere in his soul, a whisper urged him to seek that place.
Minutes passed before he shook his head slightly, pushing away the turmoil in his thoughts. He had been so caught up in his mind that he'd nearly forgotten the stranger sitting a few steps away. He still hadn't decided whether to go.
After a long pause, he glanced toward the sound of breathing.
"Are you hungry? There's meat here… but it's raw."
The man coughed, his tone wary.
"I'm fine as I am."
When their brief exchange ended,
a chilling silence swallowed the space between them. In that still, oppressive dark, neither spoke again.
Noctis kept his grip on the sword, ready to strike if needed. But the attack he anticipated never came. Sleep eluded him—the man's presence kept him on edge. And judging by the other's breathing, he hadn't slept either.
Hours crawled by.
Then, at last, the first rays of sunlight shattered the darkness. Noctis turned toward the man. For the first time, he could see him clearly—and the man, in turn, studied him back.
He was dark-haired, with tanned skin,
a little shorter than Noctis, and just as lean.
His iron armor was dented, cracked in several places, and he looked to be in his twenties.
There was something uneasy in his expression. Noctis could tell from his stare—
the man found both him and the shroud unsettling. His gaze lingered a few seconds longer on the chain-wrapped sword.
Noctis kept his composure, meeting the man's gaze with calm, steady eyes.
"Once I finish eating, you'll show me the way."
The man arched a brow, his tone skeptical.
"You're really going there? I don't care what you do, but you'll die if you try. You called yourself a shadow hunter, but… I don't believe you."
Noctis raised an eyebrow in return, giving him a brief, indifferent glance.
"Believe what you want. Just show me the path. After that, you go your way, I'll go mine."
The man sighed quietly and walked toward the doorway. He peered through the narrow gap, scanning the outside for several seconds,
then stepped back.
"It looks clear," he murmured,
"but we should hurry. At this hour, shadows start seeking darker ground."
Noctis nodded and turned toward the pile of monster flesh. His face twisted in disgust.
He drew in a deep breath and reached down,
forcing himself to take a few bites.
The man stared at him, repulsed.
Watching Noctis chew that foul meat made his stomach turn; he quickly averted his eyes, breathing shallowly.
Noctis closed his own eyes as he gnawed on the last piece, chewing for several long seconds before swallowing with effort. He stepped away from the remains, exhaling deeply.
Gripping the chain-wrapped sword, he walked toward the man, who was already standing ready with his own weapon in hand.
Noctis glanced out through the door slit at the towering ruins beyond.
"Let's go."