Darkness surrounded Arin.
For a long moment, he couldn't feel anything. No pain. No sound. No movement. It was as if the entire world had disappeared.
Then suddenly—
A faint glow appeared in front of his eyes.
Blue symbols floated in the darkness.
[System Restart Complete]
[Host Status: Critical]
[Beginning Reconstruction Process]
Arin slowly opened his eyes.
His body still lay on the cold dungeon floor. The massive monster stood only a few meters away, its glowing red eyes staring directly at him.
But something was different now.
Arin could feel it.
A strange power flowed through his veins like cold fire.
The glowing blue screen appeared again.
[Shadow System Activated]
[Welcome, Host.]
Arin tried to speak, but his throat felt dry.
"…System?"
Another message appeared.
[You have fulfilled the hidden requirement.]
[Death has unlocked the Shadow System.]
Arin's heart pounded.
This wasn't a hallucination.
The glowing interface floating in front of his eyes looked incredibly real.
More messages appeared rapidly.
[Primary Skill Unlocked]
[Shadow Extraction – Level 1]
[Ability: Extract shadows from defeated enemies and turn them into loyal soldiers.]
Arin blinked slowly.
"Shadow… soldiers?"
Before he could understand what was happening, the monster roared again.
The giant creature lifted its arm and slammed it toward him.
But something strange happened.
The moment the monster's fist came down—
Arin moved.
Without thinking.
Without effort.
His body slid across the ground faster than he had ever moved before.
The monster's fist smashed into the floor where he had been lying.
BOOM!
Stone shattered everywhere.
Arin stared at his hands.
His body felt lighter.
Stronger.
The system screen flashed again.
[Host Physical Abilities Enhanced]
[Strength +10]
[Agility +15]
[Endurance +10]
Arin slowly stood up.
Across the chamber, Mira looked up in shock.
"Arin…?"
She had watched him die.
She had seen the monster strike him directly.
Yet somehow…
He was standing again.
The monster roared angrily and rushed toward him.
But this time, Arin didn't freeze.
Instead, he stepped forward.
A strange calm filled his mind.
Every movement of the monster looked slow now.
Predictable.
The creature swung its massive arm.
Arin ducked beneath the attack and moved to the side.
The monster missed.
For the first time in the battle…
The creature looked confused.
Arin glanced at the broken dagger still lying on the ground.
He picked up the remaining half of the blade.
The system flashed again.
[Weapon detected]
[Damage Calculation Activated]
Arin rushed forward.
The monster roared and swung its arm again.
But Arin moved faster.
He slipped past the attack and jumped.
The broken blade stabbed directly into the glowing crack on the monster's knee.
CRACK.
The monster screamed.
Its leg bent violently.
The giant creature collapsed to one knee.
Everyone in the chamber stared in disbelief.
The weakest hunter…
Had actually injured the monster.
Arin landed on the ground and quickly stepped back.
His heart pounded with excitement.
The system appeared again.
[Enemy Weakness Identified]
[Core Location: Chest]
[Recommendation: Destroy Core]
Arin looked up.
The glowing red cracks on the monster's chest pulsed like a heartbeat.
"That's the core…"
The monster roared again and stood up.
But now its movements were slower.
Arin ran forward.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
He jumped onto a piece of fallen stone and launched himself upward.
The monster swung its arm.
Too slow.
Arin dodged in midair.
Then he drove the broken blade straight into the glowing crack in the monster's chest.
For a moment…
Everything froze.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
Dark energy exploded outward.
The monster's body cracked apart like shattered rock.
Huge pieces of stone fell to the ground.
The red glow faded.
Silence filled the dungeon.
The giant creature collapsed.
Dead.
A glowing message appeared.
[Enemy Defeated]
[Experience Gained]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
Arin dropped to his knees.
His entire body trembled.
He had actually done it.
He had killed the monster.
But the system wasn't finished yet.
Another message appeared.
[Shadow Extraction Available]
[Would you like to extract the shadow of the defeated enemy?]
YES / NO
Arin stared at the giant corpse.
If this system was telling the truth…
He could turn that monster into his soldier.
Slowly…
He whispered.
"…Yes."
The shadows around the monster's body began to move.
Dark smoke rose from the corpse.
The entire chamber grew colder.
Then suddenly—
A massive shadow rose from the ground.
A deep voice echoed inside the dungeon.
"My… King."
The shadow monster knelt in front of Arin.
And at that moment—
The weakest hunter in the world gained his first shadow soldier.