Three days after the mutated dungeon, I noticed people looking at me differently.
Whispers followed me in the Association's hallways. Glances lasted a little too long. Even the clerk at the front desk raised an eyebrow when I checked in for a Gate assessment.
"Name?" she asked, barely glancing up.
"Lee Joon," I replied.
Her eyes flicked upward. A beat passed. Then she typed something slowly.
"Hmm… You're not officially ranked yet, right?"
"No," I said.
She gave me a small, professional smile. But there was something behind it. Caution? Curiosity?
"Right. Please wait in Room 4-C. Someone will speak with you shortly."
I nodded and left, my mind already calculating. Something was off.
Room 4-C
It was quiet. No windows. One desk. A water bottle and a clipboard sat on the table. The only sound was the hum of the fluorescent lights above.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
Then the door creaked open.
A man in a dark gray suit walked in, holding a tablet. He looked late 30s, sharp suit, buzzed hair, lean frame. His badge read:
Cha In-Ho – Association Internal Affairs
He didn't sit down.
"Lee Joon," he said flatly. "Solo-cleared four dungeons in the past two weeks. Unofficial kill on a mutated field boss. Reported B+ combat aptitude. And you've never had formal combat training?"
I stayed quiet for a moment.
"I train hard," I said simply.
He narrowed his eyes. "Don't get smart."
He set the tablet down.
"You've made waves, even if you didn't mean to. We've had three guilds request background checks on you. The media's sniffing around. You're on watchlists."
I tensed.
"Why tell me this?"
He leaned forward slightly. "Because if you keep going at this pace, someone's going to try to recruit you… or eliminate you."
He let that hang in the air.
"Stay out of trouble, Lee Joon. For your sake. Not all S-Ranks were born rich and safe."
He walked out without waiting for a reply.
Later That Night – Abandoned Park Gate
The warning echoed in my mind as I entered another unregistered F-rank Gate.
But fear didn't slow me down. It sharpened me.
This was the only way forward.
[Gate Detected: F-Rank – Status: Unclaimed]
[Warning: Mana Surge Detected – Anomaly Present]
My eyes narrowed.
A surge?
That was new.
I stepped through.
Inside the Gate – Graveyard Ruins
Fog rolled through ancient ruins. Rows of broken tombstones jutted from the ground. Stone statues stood cracked and twisted.
I moved quietly, sword in hand.
Then—
[Quest Alert: Gravekeeper's Rest]
[Optional Objective: Defeat the Undead Champion]
[Bonus Reward: ???]
A chill passed through me.
The system had never shown this kind of side quest before.
I advanced slowly, killing ghouls and skeletons one by one.
Then I reached the center of the graveyard — a mausoleum glowing faintly blue.
Its doors creaked open on their own.
From within stepped a figure cloaked in armor, wielding a black greatsword etched with runes.
[Undead Champion – E-Rank Elite]
[HP: 1,800]
[Affliction: Soulbound]
[Status: Ancient Curse]
The sword hummed with magic.
I activated Phantom Blink to circle behind it.
The Champion moved faster than expected — its blade met mine mid-swing, and the impact rattled my arms.
Strong.
I darted back, using Shadow Step, then looped wide to distract it.
[Skill Activated: Piercing Thrust]
I lunged, striking its side. Sparks flew — the armor held, but the hit staggered it.
The Champion roared — a hollow, echoing sound. Its sword glowed, and suddenly—
[Skill Activated: Soul Slash]
The air trembled. A shockwave of cursed energy erupted forward.
I dove left, barely escaping it. A cut opened on my arm, cold and numb.
This thing's not just an E-Rank…
Its power felt C-rank at minimum.
But this was still just a test. I'd fought worse.
I gritted my teeth, leapt forward, and activated both movement skills in rapid succession.
Phantom Blink. Shadow Step.
Blur. Reposition. Strike.
I got under its guard and jammed my dagger through its neck joint.
The Champion screamed and swung wildly, cutting a statue in half.
I rolled, dodged, and struck again — this time at the knee.
[Critical Hit!]
The Champion collapsed to one knee.
I finished it with a thrust through the visor.
The light in its eyes faded.
[Elite Enemy Defeated.]
[Bonus Reward: Soulbound Memory Shard (1x)]
[Stat Bonus: +4 Agility | +2 Perception]
[Level Up!]
[New Passive Acquired: Ghost Sense (Lv. 1)]
Outside the Gate – 3:47 A.M.
I sat on a rooftop nearby, panting, studying the new notification.
[Ghost Sense (Lv. 1)]
Allows user to sense spiritual anomalies, detect cursed objects, and avoid ambushes from stealth-based enemies.
And the item—
[Memory Shard: Soulbound Champion]
A fragment of an ancient warrior's soul. Can be fused with compatible skills or used to unlock hidden questlines.
I had no idea what it meant yet… but my instincts told me it mattered.
Meanwhile – In a Shadowed Chamber
Far beyond the human world, in a place between planes, a Monarch stirred.
"The ripple again…" it muttered.
"The boy with the dagger walks paths not written."
A second presence replied, low and malevolent.
"Should we kill him?"
"Not yet. Let him grow. The timeline is already fractured."
Dark laughter echoed in the void.
"Let's see how far he dares climb."