The air inside the Hunter Association's dungeon lobby was filled with tension. Hunters were coming and going, weapons on their backs, forms in hand, some chatting nervously while others stayed silent. Among them stood Kim Suho and his team: Mirae, Minho, and Jinho. They stood in front of the glowing mission board, reading each dungeon listing carefully.
"We need to grow stronger, fast," Suho said, his eyes fixed on the scrolling list of available gates.
Mirae leaned forward and pointed. "This one. D-rank gate near Daesan Port. The description says the monsters inside are undead-types."
Suho nodded. "That could be useful for my army. Let's take it."
"It's on the outskirts," Minho added. "Fewer people around. No interference."
"Works for me," Jinho said, cracking his neck and stretching. "Let's do it."
The four of them left the building and boarded an Association van that drove them toward the coast. The trip was quiet, with the hum of the engine and the sound of the news playing low from the driver's radio. But Suho's thoughts were elsewhere. A strange pressure was building inside him. It felt like something… was watching him.
He stared out the window, the city fading behind them. The clouds above the sea were thick and grey. A storm was coming, not just outside—but inside the gates too.
Daesan Port Gate – Sector 4 Outskirts
The gate stood between two old shipping containers at the edge of an abandoned port. It glowed with a cold, bluish light, pulsing like a heartbeat. Around it, the air was damp and salty. No one else was around.
Without a word, Suho and the others stepped inside.
They found themselves standing in what looked like a ruined coastal fortress. Stones covered in green seaweed, broken walls, and half-sunken watchtowers surrounded them. The ground was wet and filled with old bones and rusty weapons.
From the shadows, skeleton soldiers began to rise. Their eyes glowed faint red, their bodies wrapped in torn sailor uniforms and rusted armor.
"I'll handle this," Suho said calmly.
He stepped forward and raised his hand.
The bones on the ground responded to him. Purple light crackled through the dirt, and his undead soldiers rose. They stood silently, like a disciplined army waiting for orders.
With a single thought, Suho sent them forward.
The enemy skeletons were outnumbered and uncoordinated. Within minutes, the field was cleared.
"Efficient," Jinho said, slightly impressed.
But before they could continue deeper into the dungeon, Suho froze.
A strange chill ran down his spine.
[Warning: Necrotic Pulse Detected Nearby.]
[Hostile Source: Identity Unknown.]
The others noticed his change in expression.
"Something's here," Suho whispered.
Then, from behind a crumbled wall, a figure stepped out.
He wore a long black cloak, his face hidden beneath a hood. In his hand, he held a strange green relic that pulsed with magic. His voice was raspy and cold.
"You've already collected three fragments," he said. "Impressive."
Suho narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
The figure didn't answer.
He stepped forward again. Suho caught a glimpse of his face—pale skin, strange markings across his cheeks, and dark runes stitched into his skin.
"She's calling to many of us… not just you," the figure said.
Then, he threw the relic to the ground.
The entire dungeon began to twist and shift. From the walls, from the floor, even from the shadows—dark shapes began to appear.
Armored undead soldiers stepped out, carrying old swords and shields. But they weren't Suho's. Their eyes glowed red, and they moved like trained killers.
"Formation!" Suho shouted.
Mirae's staff lit up with fire. Minho raised his shield and created a wall of light. Jinho rushed forward to attack.
Suho stayed calm. He extended his hand.
[Corpse Explosion – Activated.]
One of the enemy undead blew apart in a blast of fire and bone, taking a few others with it.
The battlefield turned into chaos. Suho gave orders to his undead soldiers, moving them like chess pieces. Mirae fired a wide flame wave to the left side. Jinho cut through the right. Minho kept the enemies away from Mirae.
But they were still outnumbered.
[Dominion Core Resonance: 84%.]
[Necrosystem Suggestion: Expend Memory Fuel – Summon Temporary Echo.]
"Do it," Suho whispered.
[Echo Summon: Fragmented Shade – Sir Caldran Vael]
A powerful burst of energy exploded beside him. Sir Caldran appeared, glowing in ghostly armor, sword in hand. He roared and rushed into the enemy, cutting through them like paper.
The tide quickly changed. One by one, the enemy undead fell.
Suho looked back to the cloaked figure—only to find… he was gone.
No trace. No aura. No sound.
But his last words echoed in Suho's mind:
"She will shatter, you know… unless you fail."
After the Battle
After thirty more minutes of cleaning up the remaining enemies, the gate core was found and destroyed. The gate began to collapse.
Everyone was exhausted, but Suho's mind was elsewhere.
"That man…" he muttered.
Jinho walked over. "What the hell was that?"
"I don't know," Suho replied. "But he's after the same thing I am."
Mirae looked worried. "Areum?"
Suho nodded.
[Areum's Soul Fragment Progress: 3/7]
[Warning: A rival force is attempting to collect the same fragments.]
[Next Eligible Sector: Sector 19 – Locked (Level 35, 50 Undead Required)]
A new message appeared in his interface:
New Quest Unlocked: "Bind the Graveborn."
Objective: Promote your top 5 undead into Graveborn Elites.
Bonus: Unlock class evolution traits.
Warning: Graveborn Elites require combat history and soul anchors.
Suho clenched his fists.
Someone else was after Areum's soul.
This wasn't just a race for strength anymore. It was a race for her life.
That Night
Back at Suho's apartment, silence filled the room.
Mirae had passed out on the couch, curled under a blanket. Minho was asleep in the spare room, his loud snores breaking the quiet every few seconds. Jinho sat on the balcony, arms crossed, watching the stars.
Suho sat alone by the window, sipping warm coffee and staring at his tablet.
He scrolled through dungeon listings, making notes.
His mind wouldn't rest.
"She will shatter unless you fail."
He looked at his status screen.
Kim Suho – Status
Level: 27
Undead: 36/50
New Skill: Corpse Explosion
New Quest: Bind the Graveborn
Soul Fragment Progress: 3/7
New Threat: Rival Faction Identified – Unknown Objective
Estimated Next Unlock: Sector 19 – Requires Level 35, 50 Undead
"We don't have much time," Suho whispered to himself.
Outside, far beyond the city, something red pulsed faintly in the night.
A new danger was coming.
But Suho had made up his mind—
He would not let her shatter.
To Be Continued…