Chapter 1 — Death is the Price of Awakening
The city burned.
Flames licked the broken concrete as mutated beasts rampaged through crumbling streets. The screams of the dying were distant, like echoes underwater. Rael sprinted through the chaos, a child in his arms, the child's sobs muffled against his bloodied shirt.
He didn't know the kid's name.
Didn't matter. If he stopped, they'd both die.
Roaring behind him, a black-scaled wolf the size of a van crashed through a building. Its jaws dripped with acidic foam. Its eyes glowed like molten gold.
"Just a bit more!" Rael growled, feet pounding over shattered glass. Ahead, he spotted a crumbled tunnel—the ruins of an old subway. Shelter.
He shoved the child through a gap in the wall. "Don't move."
He turned.
The beast was already there.
Its maw opened, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Rael grabbed a broken steel rod from the rubble. It was useless. He knew that. But he wouldn't die cowering.
"Come on then," he spat.
The wolf leapt.
Teeth tore through flesh.
Everything went black.
{You have died. Fatality confirmed.}
{Activating Final Chance Protocol...}
{Welcome, User: Rael.}
{You have awakened the SSS-Ranked Talent: Shadowborne Sovereign.}
{Error detected. Gift Compensation initiated.}
{Login Reward Activated: Day 1 — Newbie Package Received.}
He opened his eyes.
Not to fire.
Not to pain.
But to silence.
Endless shadow stretched in all directions. No sky. No floor. Yet he stood.
Before him floated a translucent screen:
{SYSTEM INTERFACE INITIALIZED}{Talent: Shadowborne Sovereign (SSS-Rank)}{Special System: Glitched Origin Login System}{Status: Unlimited System Points [BUGGED]}{Daily Login System: Activated}{Inventory: Unlimited Space}{Personal Realm: [Shadow Domain - Beginner]}
Another screen blinked to life:
Newbie Package Rewards:– Passive Skill: Shadow Instinct (SSS)– Access to Universal System Shop– System Points: [∞] (Untraceable)– Shadow Domain Key (Bound)
Rael blinked.
Was this a dream? A hallucination?
"System?" he muttered.
{System online.}
"What the hell is happening?"
{You died. You were chosen. Now you return.}
"Why me?"
{ERROR: Access Denied. Origin Path Locked.}
"...So I get no answers."
{Correct.}
He took a breath. The pain was gone. His heartbeat was calm. His mind, sharp.
He looked at the floating words.
SSS-Rank Talent.
Unlimited System Points.
Shadow Domain.
A slow grin broke across his face.
If this was death, he preferred it.
{You have entered your Shadow Domain. Time Flow: Frozen. External World: Paused.}
The space shifted. Shadows twisted, forming vague structures—pillars, walkways, arches made of nothing but ink and mist.
Rael looked around. "So this is mine?"
{Correct. It will evolve as your strength grows.}
"System, open shop."
{Shop Opened.}
The interface expanded—thousands of items, weapons, potions, and skills scrolling past. He hovered over a few:
Void Step (Rare Skill) – Blink through shadow within 15 meters.
Suppress Presence (A-Rank Passive) – Nullify sound, scent, and aura.
Shadow Blade (Epic Skill) – Manifest a weapon of solid shadow.
He selected all three.
{Purchased. System Points deducted: 0.}
"Nice."
The skills integrated instantly. His body tingled. It felt... right. Natural.
{Would you like to return to the physical world?}
"Where's the kid?"
{He survived. Dungeon remains open. Monsters persist.}
Rael's eyes narrowed.
"Take me back."
He gasped awake.
The air smelled of smoke and blood.
His wounds were gone. His hands, steady.
The rod lay beside him, but now he didn't need it.
A wolf howled.
Rael stood slowly. Shadows gathered around his feet like loyal pets.
He whispered, "Let's hunt."
{Skill Activated: Void Step.}
He vanished.
Within seconds, he reappeared behind the beast.
It didn't even sense him. Not until the Shadow Blade slid into its neck, hissing like smoke.
It collapsed without a sound.
Another monster charged—a mantis-shaped freak with six scythe arms.
Rael dashed, moving like a ghost.
Strike. Flicker. Vanish.
One by one, the monsters fell.
By the time the child emerged from the tunnel, Rael stood alone among corpses. His eyes glowed faint violet.
{Dungeon Cleared.}{Rewards Transferred to Inventory.}{Login System Syncing...}
{Day 2 Countdown: 23:59:58...}
Rael turned to the boy, who looked at him with wide eyes.
"Run back to your family," Rael said. "You're safe now."
"Who... who are you?" the child asked.
Rael looked down at his hands, shadows licking around his fingers.
He didn't know.
But he was going to find out.
And whoever broke the world...
They were going to pay.