Silence filled the chamber,
Aragon stood alone in the dim dungeon hall, the faint glow of ancient torches casting long shadows across the cracked stone floor. Just moments ago, someone had been standing in front of him.
Noir…..The Shadow Guide….
The fifth member of the Majestic Five. The one who had just revealed the hidden truths of the world… and granted Aragon a portion of his power.
Now the chamber was empty. Noir's presence had vanished as if he had never existed. Aragon remained still for a long moment, staring at the place where the shadowed figure had stood.
His thoughts were still trying to catch up with everything that had happened.
The Majestic Five….
The truth about the world...
The power of darkness...
And the responsibility now placed on his shoulders…
Aragon slowly lowered his gaze. His hand tightened into a fist. A faint ripple of shadow moved across the ground beneath him,
"…So it's real"
The power Noir had given him was not just a concept. It was inside him now.
Flowing quietly through his body like a second pulse.
Aragon lifted his hand slowly. The shadows around his fingers shifted slightly, responding to his movement.
For a moment he simply watched them.
Not with fear…..
But with careful curiosity…..
Then he exhaled softly…
"No point standing here forever"
The dungeon had already begun to calm after the transfer of power. The oppressive pressure that once filled the chamber had faded. Without its purpose… the dungeon felt strangely hollow. Aragon turned toward the corridor leading to the surface. His footsteps echoed quietly as he began walking. A Different Body, as he moved through the dark passageways, Aragon quickly realized something his body felt different,
Lighter…..
Stronger...
His senses sharper than before. Even the way he walked had changed. Before entering the dungeon, long fights and exploration would slowly wear him down. Now his breathing remained steady. His movements effortless. The blessing from Noir had strengthened him far beyond what a normal F-rank adventurer should possess. But what surprised him even more was how natural it felt.
It wasn't overwhelming...
It wasn't uncontrollable...
It simply felt… right....
As if this power had been waiting inside him all along.
Aragon stopped walking. Then he focused on the shadows near the wall.
"Let's see…"
He stepped forward. The moment his foot touched the ground the shadows twisted. And suddenly Aragon vanished. He reappeared several meters ahead in the corridor. His eyes widened slightly.
Shadow Step...
He had moved through the shadows themselves. Aragon turned around, studying the distance he had crossed.
It wasn't very far. But the movement had been instantaneous. He slowly nodded.
"So that's how it works"
A useful ability especially in combat.
But he could already feel that it consumed energy.
Not much,but enough to remind him that this power had limits.
Aragon continued walking. This time he focused on something else.
He closed his eyes. The darkness around him seemed to breathe.
And suddenly he felt movement.
Small creatures far away in other parts of the dungeon.
Their footsteps…..
Their breathing...
Even the faint scratching of claws against stone. Aragon opened his eyes.
Shadow Sense...
A quiet smile appeared on his face,
"…Interesting"
After several minutes of walking, Aragon finally reached the dungeon entrance. Soft daylight spilled into the tunnel. He stepped outside. Fresh air filled his lungs. The sky above him was clear. Birds drifted lazily across the blue horizon. For a moment everything looked perfectly normal.
Peaceful...
But something felt wrong. Aragon frowned slightly. The position of the sun was strange. When he had entered the dungeon… It had been early morning.
Now the sun was already lowering toward the west.
Late afternoon.
Aragon stared at the sky
"…No…"
His mind immediately began calculating. The time difference didn't make sense. Inside the dungeon, it had felt like only a few hours had passed.
But the sun's position told a different story.
Aragon's expression slowly darkened.
"…may be few days or perhaps weeks….."
The realization settled heavily in his chest. He had been gone for weeks.
To the outside world… He had simply disappeared. Which meant one thing.
People were probably looking for him.
Aragon pulled his hood lower as he approached the outer roads leading back to Marsh Town. Travelers passed him occasionally. Merchants with carts, farmers returning home.
None of them paid him any attention. But Aragon stayed cautious. If the authorities were searching for him, returning quietly would be the best option. By the time the town gates came into view, the sky had begun to turn orange.
Even from a distance, Aragon could see something unusual. Two guards were standing near the entrance speaking with a man in dark official clothing.
A royal investigator…..
Aragon recognized the uniform immediately. Members of the Brightshore intelligence bureau.
So the search had reached this level already. He walked forward calmly.
One step at a time. Trying not to draw attention. As he approached the gate, one of the guards glanced at him.
Then his eyes widened
"Wait…!"
The guard stepped forward suddenly
"You!"
Aragon stopped
The second guard stared at him as well
"…Aragon?"
For a moment the street fell silent.
The investigator turned his head sharply. Then recognition flashed across his face.
"You've been missing for three weeks," the man said slowly.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Aragon paused….
Only for a moment…..
Then he gave a simple answer…..
"Dungeon exploration…."
The investigator frowned
"Alone?"
Aragon nodded
"Yes…."
The man studied him carefully. Suspicion flickered in his eyes.
But after a few seconds he sighed.
"You adventurers…"
He rubbed his temple
"Do you have any idea how many people we sent looking for you?"
Aragon didn't respond
The investigator finally waved his hand dismissively
"Just report to the guild tomorrow and explain yourself"
Then he turned away
"Next time you disappear for three weeks, leave a damn note, got it !"
The guards stepped aside
Aragon walked past them quietly.
Night had already begun to settle over Marsh Town when Aragon finally reached the small inn where he rented a room.
The moment he pushed the door open the entire common room went silent.
The innkeeper froze behind the counter.
A few regular customers stared at him in disbelief.
"…Aragon?"
The innkeeper blinked
"I thought you were dead!"
Several people began whispering immediately.
"Wasn't he missing?"
"They were searching the forests for him last week…"
Aragon raised a hand calmly
"I'm fine."
The innkeeper walked closer, still staring
"You disappear for three weeks and come back like nothing happened?"
Aragon simply shrugged
"Got lost in a dungeon…haha..."
A long silence followed
Then the innkeeper shook his head and laughed
"Only you idiots would call that normal…"
The tension slowly faded, Conversations resumed , Aragon climbed the stairs quietly. When he finally entered his room, the familiar space greeted him,
A small bed...
A wooden table….
A single candle…..
He closed the door....
For the first time since leaving the dungeon, he allowed himself to relax.
Aragon sat on the edge of the bed. Then he lifted his hand slowly. The candle flickered. And the shadow behind it twisted. A thin strand of darkness rose from the floor, curling around his fingers like living smoke.
Aragon watched it silently.
The world outside still believed he was just another ordinary adventurer,
A F-rank....
But inside this quiet room the shadows knew the truth. And Aragon understood one thing clearly.
His life had only just begun to change….