Indura woke slowly, the soft furs of the bed still warm beneath him.
Morning light filtered through the heavy curtains in shades of deep crimson, casting the villa room in a rich, blood-wine glow. The air smelled faintly of spiced meat and fresh-baked bread. He sat up, stretching his arms with a quiet sigh, golden eyes adjusting to the new day in Chaos.
Shadow was already moving quietly near the low table, setting out a generous breakfast — thick slices of grilled monster meat seasoned with fiery southern spices, warm flatbread, bowls of glowing red fruits that tasted sweet and tart at the same time, and a pitcher of cool, mana-infused water that shimmered faintly.
"Good morning, Great Dragon," Shadow said with a respectful nod, a small smile on his face. "I prepared something simple but filling. Hunters say the meat from last night's run pairs well with these fruits."
Indura swung his legs off the bed and walked over, sitting cross-legged at the table. He picked up a piece of meat and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully.
"Not bad," he said, voice still carrying that calm, unhurried tone. "This world's food has a stronger kick than Varta's...well, more… alive."
Shadow sat across from him, watching with quiet satisfaction. "I'm glad it suits you. While you rested, I took the liberty of handling the excess loot from last night. The black market paid handsomely — about eighty thousand gold, more gold than most Slayers see in a year."
Indura took another bite, expression unchanged. "Gold? That's useful, I suppose." He paused, then asked, "Tell me more about this place. The ranks you mentioned yesterday… Hunter, Slayer, Knight, Destroyer. What do they actually mean in practice?"
Shadow leaned forward slightly, happy to explain. "Hunters are the foundation — they take basic contracts, clear low-threat dungeons, gather common materials. Most never rise higher. Slayers have proven themselves by killing over a thousand monsters and clearing dangerous nests solo or in small teams. Knights command respect and lead larger operations. Destroyers… they are the pinnacle in the south. They can single-handedly clear high-tier dungeons and influence entire districts. Lady Phoenix is one. Her word is law here."
Indura listened, chewing slowly. Interesting. A system built entirely on strength and results. No bloodlines, no divine blessings — just what you can kill and bring back. "And the Calamities?"
Shadow nodded. "Far above. The three dragons rarely involve themselves with southern affairs. The High Order handles the day-to-day rule here, but everyone knows the Calamities could erase the south if they ever turned their gaze this way."
Indura gave a small, amused hum. "So I'm currently eating breakfast in a place ruled by people who would panic if they knew what I really am."
Shadow chuckled softly. "Exactly."
After they finished eating, Shadow stood and brought over a neatly folded set of clothes.
"I took the liberty of acquiring something more suitable for you," he said, unfolding the garments. "These are tailored in the noble style of the southern courts — lightweight yet durable black silk with reinforced threading, silver embroidery along the seams, and a deep crimson cape that carries subtle mana runes for protection and presence. It's the attire of someone who commands respect without needing to shout."
Indura stood and changed into the new outfit. The fabric felt smooth and expensive against his skin, the crimson cape flowing elegantly behind him. He adjusted the collar and rolled his shoulders once.
"Not bad," he said, a faint smile appearing. "Much better than stolen traveler's clothes."
Shadow looked genuinely pleased. "You wear it well, Great Dragon."
They left the villa a short while later and made their way back to the Hunters Guild to collect the official payment.
The massive building looked even more imposing in the daylight. When they pushed open the doors and stepped inside with their remaining sacks, the lobby once again fell into a stunned hush.
The same counter lady from the night before straightened immediately. "You're back… and with the rest of the proof. I'll process this right away."
Before she could finish, a tall, authoritative man in ornate guild master robes approached from the side stairs. His name was Veyron Kaelthar, the guild master— broad-shouldered, silver-haired, with sharp, calculating eyes and a calm, reasonable demeanor that commanded the room.
"Midnight Slayer," he said warmly, nodding to Shadow before turning to Indura. "And you must be the new talent everyone is whispering about. Indura, correct? I am Master Veyron Kaelthar, head of this branch. Would you both join me in my office? There are matters we should discuss privately."
Shadow glanced at Indura, who simply nodded.
They followed the guild master upstairs into a spacious office lined with maps, trophy cores, and heavy wooden furniture. Veyron sat behind his desk and gestured for them to take seats.
"I'll be direct," Veyron began, voice reasonable and measured. "Your submission last night was… exceptional. The quality and volume of materials suggest you're operating at a level far beyond a new registrant. The guild would like to offer you immediate advancement and a generous signing bonus — ten thousand gold upfront, plus priority contracts and access to restricted dungeons. We could even discuss a formal scouting role under my personal oversight."
Shadow spoke smoothly on Indura's behalf. "The great Indura appreciates the offer, Master, but he prefers to operate independently for now."
Great Indura?!
Veyron leaned forward, still calm and persuasive. "I understand caution. But with your demonstrated strength, you could rise quickly. The south needs talents like you. Lady Phoenix herself would take notice of someone who can clear multiple high-tier dungeons in a single night."
Indura listened with quiet amusement, golden eyes relaxed. This man speaks well. Offering money and position like it's a gift. In Varta, they offered a castle...until it was destroyed. Here, they offer contracts.
He finally spoke, voice calm. "I'm not interested in joining any scouting plans or formal roles. I'll take contracts as I see fit."
Veyron studied him for a long moment, then smiled graciously. "Very well. The offer remains open. In the meantime, your payment for last night's submission."
He slid a heavy pouch of gold across the desk.
Shadow handled the rest of the formalities while Indura simply observed, hands folded on his chest.
As they left the office and walked back through the lobby, the whispers followed them again.
"Midnight Slayer and that new guy… they're already getting special treatment."
"Think the guild master tried to recruit him?"
Indura walked with his hands behind his back, expression unchanged, while Shadow stayed close, a faint smile on his lips.
The red skies of Crimson Reach burned overhead as they stepped back into the street.
Another day in Chaos had begun.
And for the first time, Indura felt the faint stirrings of genuine curiosity about where this path might lead.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Crimson Reach, deep within the twisting tunnels of the Abyssal Fracture Depths…
Jin moved like a shadow through the dim corridors.
His matte-black tactical gear was already streaked with dark ichor. The silver shoulder plates caught faint glints of mana crystals embedded in the walls. Behind the angular mask, his silver eyes were sharp and focused. Twin swords rested at his hips, one still faintly glowing with residual flame.
He had already cleared the first dungeon last night. This was his second.
A pack of Void Leeches burst from the walls — eyeless, writhing horrors with barbed tentacles that drained mana on contact. Jin didn't slow down. He drew one sword in a smooth arc, flame erupting along the blade in a controlled blaze.
Flame Technique: Ash Severance.
The flaming slash cut through three leeches at once, their bodies igniting mid-air and crumbling into black ash before they could latch onto him. He twisted, the second sword flashing in a cross-cut that burned the rest of the pack into cinders.
Not enough, he thought, breathing steady but already feeling the slight drain. I need denser mana. Much denser.
He pressed on, deeper into the dungeon.
The tunnels grew narrower, the air heavier. More monsters came — Fracture Wraiths, ghostly figures that phased through stone and struck with freezing claws. Jin met them head-on, swords dancing in tight, efficient arcs. Each swing left trails of fire that clung to the wraiths, burning their ethereal forms until they screamed and dissolved.
By the time he reached the boss chamber door, his breathing had grown heavier. Sweat trickled beneath the mask. Mana reserves were noticeably lower.
Two dungeons. I'm pushing it… but I need this.
He kicked the heavy stone door open and stepped inside.
The boss chamber was a vast circular cavern, its walls lined with pulsing purple veins of raw mana. In the center, the boss waited.
It was a Crimson Mirage Leviathan — a colossal, serpentine horror easily forty feet long, its body a shifting mass of crimson scales and translucent illusion-flesh. Multiple heads sprouted from its torso, each one capable of independent movement, and its eyes glowed with stolen mana. The air around it shimmered with mirages, creating false copies of itself that flickered in and out of existence.
Jin's silver eyes narrowed behind the mask.
Multi-headed, illusion-based, mana-draining. This one's going to be annoying.
The Leviathan roared, and the chamber filled with dozens of illusory copies charging at him from every direction.
Jin exploded into motion.
He weaved between the false images, swords blazing. Flame Technique: Inferno. A spinning double-slash burned through three mirages at once, but the real heads struck from behind, one clamping down on his shoulder plate. Pain flared as the teeth pierced metal and drew blood.
He grunted, twisting free with a flaming elbow strike that scorched the head. Every movement drains mana. I have to end this fast.
The real Leviathan laughed with multiple voices, its heads coordinating attacks while the illusions distracted. Jin dodged, parried, and counterattacked, but the creature was fast — faster than anything he had faced tonight. A tail whip caught him across the ribs, cracking bone and sending him skidding across the floor.
He coughed once, tasting blood, but forced himself up.
Focus. It's using the illusions to hide its real body. Find the core.
Jin's breathing grew ragged as he pushed his remaining mana into his blades. Flame Technique: Crimson Judgment.
He launched forward in a blazing streak, swords crossed. The flames roared into a single concentrated beam that pierced through layer after layer of illusion. One head screamed and disintegrated. Then another.
The Leviathan roared in fury and lunged with all remaining heads.
Jin met it head-on.
He ducked under the first strike, sliced upward with one sword to sever a head, then spun and drove the second blade straight into the creature's central core, hidden beneath shifting scales. Flames erupted from within.
The Leviathan convulsed violently, all illusions shattering at once. Its massive body crashed to the floor, twitching as the flames consumed it from the inside.
Jin stood over the corpse, chest heaving, blood dripping from his side and shoulder. He panted hard, vision briefly blurring from mana exhaustion.
…Close. Too close.
He took a moment to steady his breathing, then knelt and harvested the boss core — a large, pulsing crimson orb that throbbed with dense mana. He absorbed what he could on the spot, feeling the rush of power settle into his core, then stored the rest.
With this, my mana core should be developing. I'm so close to the third stage so it's fine.
Satisfied, he wiped the blood from his mask and sheathed his swords.
Two dungeons. That's enough for the day. Time to head back.
Jin turned and vanished into the tunnels once more, a lone shadow moving through the darkness.
He emerged from the dungeon exit just as the red skies of Chaos we're already brighten into full day.
The entrance was a jagged tear in the side of a floating crystal cliff, mana still leaking out like smoke. He stepped onto the narrow stone ledge, mask still firmly in place, twin swords sheathed at his hips. Blood stained his black tactical gear, and his breathing was still slightly labored from the fight with the Crimson Mirage Leviathan.
He paused for a moment, silver eyes scanning the horizon. The vast red-skied landscape stretched endlessly — floating islands drifting lazily in the distance, crimson storms churning on the far edge of the world, and below, the sprawling hunter city of Crimson Reach glowing like a jewel in the valley.
Alright. My core absorbed enough to push forward again. But it's not enough. Not yet.
He adjusted the pouch containing the harvested cores and began walking along the narrow path that led back toward the city. The wind whipped at his cloak, carrying the faint scent of ozone and distant monster blood.
Instead of heading straight to the guild to turn in the contracts, Jin veered off the main trail.
He had a different destination in mind today.
After a short trek across a series of connecting crystal bridges, he arrived at the Veiled Archive — a lesser-known structure built into the side of a massive floating plateau on the eastern edge of Crimson Reach. It wasn't a guild hall or a market. It was a repository of rumors, old maps, forbidden knowledge, and "lost" hunter reports that the official guilds preferred to ignore.
The entrance was a simple, unassuming stone archway guarded by two bored-looking hybrid sentries. They recognized the black gear and the silver-eyed mask immediately and stepped aside without a word. The Void Reaper had been here before.
Inside, the archive was dimly lit by floating crimson orbs. Shelves carved directly into the crystal walls held thousands of scrolls, cracked tablets, and bound journals. A few lone researchers and information brokers sat at low tables, whispering over maps or haggling over rare documents.
Jin moved silently through the aisles until he reached the back section — the "Disappearances & Anomalies" archive.
He pulled out a thick ledger labeled "Gate Incidents – Last 50 Years" and began flipping through it with practiced efficiency.
His silver eyes narrowed behind the mask.
Ten years ago… a massive spatial tear opened in the southern skies. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a "crimson beast" fall through it. Some said it was wounded. Others claimed it was unconscious. The tear closed almost immediately after.
Jin's fingers tightened slightly on the page.
He turned to another section — hunter sighting logs.
One entry caught his eye, written in hurried script:
"Year 10 Post-Gate: A lone hunter matching the description of the 'Midnight Slayer' was seen near the Fracture Depths on the night the beast fell. He was carrying a great sword that glowed with energy. The sword has not been seen since. Possible connection?"
Midnight Slayer!...who could that possibly be.
Jin closed the ledger slowly.
Still no clear trail. But that sword… I entered with it through the gate, then it somehow threw me aside...as if it had a mind of its own. If I can find any trace of it, I might find a lead on where Indura landed.
He returned the ledger and moved to the rumor board — a large crystal slab covered in pinned notes and glowing runes.
One fresh note stood out, written in bold red ink:
"Massive dark aura sighting reported near the Eternal Scar — a floating wasteland five hours' travel east. Witnesses claim the sky itself bled for several minutes. No monster known to produce that color signature. Bounty offered for confirmation."
Jin stared at the note for a long moment.
Eternal Scar… That's deep territory. Dangerous even for Slayers. But the color matches.
He tore the note from the board, folded it, and slipped it into his pocket.
As he turned to leave, an old information broker with a scarred face and a missing eye approached him cautiously.
"Void Reaper… you're looking for something specific again, aren't you? I heard rumors about a beast falling from the sky ten years ago. If you're chasing ghosts… the Eternal Scar is where most of them end up. But be careful. Things that fall from the sky in Chaos rarely stay dead."
Jin gave the man a single nod — the only acknowledgment he ever offered — and walked out without another word.
Outside, under the bright red daylight, he adjusted his mask and looked east.
The floating wasteland known as the Eternal Scar waited beyond the horizon — a place where reality itself was said to be thin, where ancient ruins and forgotten monsters roamed, and where the sky sometimes bled the exact shade of crimson that Jin had followed through the gate a decade ago.
He exhaled once, steadying his breathing.
If there's even a chance… I have to go.
Jin vanished from the ledge in a silent burst of movement, heading east toward the unknown.
The red skies of Chaos watched him go.