The Abyss portal closed behind them with a soft, final sigh. The swirling violet rift shrank until it vanished completely, leaving only open grasslands where the dungeon entrance had once stood. The air carried the faint scent of crushed grass and lingering ozone.
Hundreds of awakened youths had gathered near the exit site. Now the crowd stood in uneasy silence. System announcements had spread to every participant: the Slime King, the hidden Abyss Tyrant, and the name attached to both defeats — Yang Lionheart.
Whispers moved through the gathering like slow currents.
"That's him…"
"The one the gods rejected…"
"He cleared Hellish difficulty solo…"
"Impossible."
Yang stepped out of the fading rift. His clothes hung in tatters, dried blood streaked across his arms, yet his posture remained even. The shadows at his feet appeared darker than the surrounding grass, stretching a fraction longer than the angle of sunlight allowed.
Yuan and Cheng emerged behind him. Their escorts limped out afterward, faces drawn. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even the instructors stared.
The lead instructor, a veteran knight named Garrick, walked forward. His expression carried open disbelief. "You three… survived?"
Cheng rubbed his bruised shoulder. "Barely."
Yuan stayed quiet. Her gaze kept drifting toward Yang.
The whispers grew louder.
"He killed the Tyrant…"
"He's only level eight…"
"That can't be right…"
Yang ignored the voices. His system panel still glowed faintly at the edge of his vision. Multiple notifications waited. He opened them.
[Hidden Boss Slayer Bonus]
Reward Granted
New Skill Acquired: Shadow Domain (Lv.1)
A domain skill. Rare even among high-ranking awakeners. He studied the description.
Shadow Domain (Lv.1)
Create a 15-meter domain of living darkness.
Within the domain:
• Shadow abilities cost 50% less mana
• Enemies suffer reduced vision and slower movement
• Your physical stats increase by 30%
Duration: 20 seconds
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Yang exhaled once. The ability carried clear weight. The Shadow Mark pulsed faintly beneath his ribs, cool and patient, as though acknowledging the addition.
Yuan's voice pulled him back. "Yang."
He turned. For once, her expression held no arrogance, only hesitation.
"We need to talk."
Cheng crossed his arms beside her. "This time without trying to kill each other."
Yang raised an eyebrow slightly. "Bold request."
He nodded.
The three of them walked away from the crowd toward a quiet hill overlooking the valley. Wind moved through the tall grass in slow waves. For a long moment none of them spoke.
Yuan broke the silence first. "When we were children… you used to follow us."
Yang frowned slightly. "What?"
"You were five," she continued, voice low. "Cheng and I were training in the courtyard. You kept trying to pick up the wooden swords."
Cheng looked away.
"You were too small. The sword was bigger than your arm."
Yang nodded slowly. Fragments of memory stirred. "I remember that."
Cheng finally spoke. "You asked us to teach you."
Yang met his gaze. "And you refused."
Cheng's jaw tightened. "We didn't refuse."
Yang's frown deepened. "You did."
Yuan shook her head. "No… we didn't."
Yang felt a quiet pressure settle behind his ribs.
Yuan continued softly. "Mother stopped us."
Silence stretched.
Yang's eyes narrowed slightly. "What?"
Cheng's voice dropped. "She told us to stay away from you."
Yang stared at them. "That makes no sense."
Yuan's eyes darkened. "She said the gods had marked you. That you would bring disaster to the family."
The Shadow Mark pulsed once beneath his skin.
Cheng clenched his fists. "We didn't understand it then. But after she died… the priests told us the same thing."
Yang looked away toward the valley. "So you blamed me."
Cheng's expression twisted with something heavier than anger. "We were children."
Yang gave a quiet sound, almost a laugh. "But the hatred stayed."
None of them had an answer for that.
The wind carried silence between them again.
Then Yang felt it — a disturbance. His Shadow Affinity reacted instantly. Darkness trembled beneath his feet.
The system flashed.
[Hostile Presence Detected]
His gaze shifted toward the forest beyond the valley.
"Something's coming."
Cheng grabbed his spear. "What?"
Yuan's flames reignited along her hands.
Shadows moved between the trees. Three figures emerged slowly, all wearing black robes, faces hidden behind silver masks. The air around them felt heavier, wrong.
One stepped forward. His voice was calm and measured. "You must be Yang Lionheart."
Yang's eyes narrowed. "And you are?"
The masked man tilted his head slightly. "Someone who has been searching for you."
Cheng stepped forward. "If you want trouble—"
The man raised a hand. The ground exploded. Dark chains erupted, binding Cheng instantly.
Yuan attacked at once. Flames surged toward the stranger. The man waved his hand. The fire vanished without trace.
Yang noted the similarity in the power. It felt aligned with his own, yet different in origin.
The man's gaze settled on him. "So the rumors are true. Shadow power."
The two other masked figures moved forward. Dark energy began radiating from their bodies.
Yang's instincts registered the threat clearly. These opponents were stronger than the monsters inside the dungeon.
The leader spoke again. "We serve the forgotten one."
The Shadow Mark burned sharply in Yang's chest. Pain registered as a brief, intense pressure.
The man smiled beneath his mask. "Ah. So he chose you."
Yuan shouted from behind Yang. "Who are you people?!"
The masked man answered calmly. "We are the Order of the Eclipse."
The Shadow God's presence brushed against Yang's awareness, cool and knowing. Followers who once served me.
Yang slowly raised his blade. "And what if I'm not interested?"
The three figures spread out. Dark energy gathered around them.
The leader's smile remained. "That was never a choice."
Yang exhaled once. Shadow energy swirled around his feet, responding with faint hesitation before coiling tighter.
"Good."
His voice stayed low. "I was getting bored."
Darkness exploded outward. The ground beneath them turned black. Shadows rose like living extensions, brushing against his legs with tentative awareness.
Yang activated his newest ability.
"Shadow Domain."
The battlefield plunged into night.
Within the fifteen-meter radius, the world changed. Shadow abilities drew less mana. Enemies' movements slowed, their vision clouded. Yang's own strength and speed increased by a measured thirty percent.
The masked figures hesitated for the first time.
The real fight had begun.