The city above had changed.
It had only been two days since Raon vanished beneath the streets of Seoul, but already, the skyline looked different—more patrol drones, more watchtowers, and more silence. The newsfeeds were carefully scrubbed clean of any mention of the Reaver attack. Only whispers remained—online forums buried under layers of encryption spoke of a boy with blue fire in his hands.
Raon.
Deep within an abandoned warehouse near the outskirts of Mapo District, Raon sat on a makeshift chair, sharpening a piece of scrap metal into a makeshift dagger. Hana was asleep nearby, wrapped in layers of insulation torn from old crates. A small flame flickered at his fingertips as he worked—not hot enough to burn, just warm enough to feel alive.
His mind drifted to the new skill he had just acquired: Dragon Roar – Tier I.
He hadn't used it yet.
The system was quiet now, dormant but ever-watching.
Suddenly, a beep echoed in the silence.
[New Signal Detected. Unknown Evolutionary Signature Within 300 Meters.]
Raon stood, instantly alert. He moved to the nearest broken window and scanned the street below. Nothing.
Then—movement.
A shadow dashed across the alley, too fast to be human.
Another ping.
[Target Identified: Kang Ha-Joon – Level 6 – Type: Dual Evolutionist (Speed + Soundwave Manipulation). Threat Level: Moderate.]
Raon narrowed his eyes.
Another evolver?
And already above his level?
He stepped outside, silent as the wind. The night was cold, and frost lined the edges of broken walls. The alley where the signal had come from was now empty—except for a boy standing in the middle of it.
Hair dyed silver-white, coat too clean for a drifter. His eyes were purple—artificial irises. Modified. Government-level.
"Lee Raon," the boy said.
Raon didn't reply.
"I'm not here to fight," Kang Ha-Joon said, raising his hands. "I'm here to recruit you."
Raon snorted. "For what? Some underground rebellion?"
"No. For the Tower."
Raon blinked. "The Tower?"
Ha-Joon nodded. "A network. Hidden. We watch the System. We track its anomalies. You're the biggest one to appear since the Abyssal Collapse three years ago."
Raon folded his arms. "You said you're not here to fight, but your system profile says otherwise."
Ha-Joon gave a wry smile. "Let's say... I'm a failsafe. If you refused to listen."
"And if I still do?"
"Then I'll use this."
Suddenly, his hand blurred—three high-frequency discs spun toward Raon.
But Raon had expected it.
Blink Step.
He reappeared behind Ha-Joon and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around and slamming him into the wall. "You're fast," Raon growled, "but you're not faster than me."
Ha-Joon coughed, blood at the corner of his mouth. "That's the point. I needed to test you."
Raon held the flame to his throat. "Try again."
The boy's smirk returned. "Then congratulations. You passed."
Raon let him go.
Ha-Joon stumbled but caught himself. "You'll need allies, Raon. The government's already watching you. And the Tower... well, we might be your only option before they decide to eliminate you."
"Why should I trust you?" Raon asked.
"You shouldn't," Ha-Joon said. "But when the hounds come, and they will... you'll want someone watching your back."
Raon looked at the boy for a long time. Then nodded, just once.
"Good," Ha-Joon said, rubbing his neck. "I'll send coordinates tomorrow. Come if you want to live long enough to see level 10."
He disappeared into the night.
Raon turned back toward the warehouse—but paused.
Hana stood in the doorway, wide awake.
"You're building a war," she said quietly.
"No," Raon replied. "I'm preparing for one."
---
Meanwhile, at the Government Evolutionary Bureau – Level 6 Restricted Facility
Inside a chamber of glass and chrome, three men stood watching Raon's latest battle on a holographic replay. The footage of the Abyssal Reaver's death looped endlessly, ending with Raon's final strike and the surge of blue flame.
"He's awakened a core node," said Director Han, voice sharp. "We confirmed that much."
"And his system?" asked another.
"A rogue branch. Autonomous. Not tied to any licensed genome tree we've created. We suspect it's a mutation caused by the serum glitch two weeks ago."
The third man stepped forward. A general. His jaw was square, his uniform immaculate.
"Then we move to contingency plan Theta-9. Full suppression. If we allow a dragon system to evolve unchecked, we're risking another Seoul Collapse."
Director Han looked hesitant. "But the data—"
"Is irrelevant," the general cut in. "We kill him before level 10."
---
Back at the warehouse
Raon sat alone, staring at the screen projected in front of him.
[System Update Available.]
[New Feature Unlocked: Core Forge]
He opened it.
[Core Forge: Allows creation of internal energy cores. Cores grant passive traits, can be upgraded using EP, and offer long-term evolutionary branching.]
[First Core Slot Available – Select Attribute to Invest Core:]
1. Flame Affinity (Boosts all fire-based skills)
2. Draconic Will (Increases resistance to mental manipulation)
3. Predator's Instinct (Enhanced perception, faster reaction to threats)
Raon didn't hesitate.
Predator's Instinct.
A low growl echoed in his bones as the core embedded itself into his system. The world sharpened. He could hear the beating of Hana's heart from across the room, the rustling of rats in the walls, the subtle hum of drone wings passing overhead.
[Core Installed: Predator's Instinct – Tier 0]
[Passive Effect: +15% Perception | Threat Detection Activated]
He smiled.
The dragon was evolving.
And the hunt had just begun.