Cold rain continued to pour over the ruined streets.
People were screaming everywhere.
Cars crashed into each other while giant black monsters destroyed buildings like paper. The entire city had turned into chaos within minutes after the red portal opened.
Aron lay on the cold ground, unable to move.
Blood slowly spread beneath his body.
His vision became blurry.
For a moment, he thought everything was over.
His painful life… the bullying… the loneliness…
Everything would finally end here.
But suddenly—
[Ding!]
A strange blue screen appeared before his eyes.
[Shadow King System Activated]
[First Mission Available]
[Survive.]
Aron's eyes widened in shock.
"What… is this?"
The screen floated in front of him like magic.
Before he could think further, the monster standing behind him roared loudly.
Its giant claws rose into the air.
Aron's heart started beating faster.
He didn't want to die.
Not like this.
Not after suffering his whole life.
"I want to live…" he whispered.
[Ding!]
[Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step]
Suddenly, black energy exploded from Aron's body.
WHOOSH!
His body disappeared instantly.
The monster's claws struck only the empty ground.
BOOM!
Dust filled the street.
Aron suddenly appeared several meters away, breathing heavily.
"T-teleport?"
His hands trembled.
The black aura surrounding his body felt cold yet powerful.
For the first time in his life…
He felt strength.
The monster turned toward him again.
Its glowing red eyes were filled with rage.
ROARRR!!
The creature charged forward at terrifying speed.
Aron panicked.
"I can't fight that thing!"
[Ding!]
[New Skill Available: Shadow Blade]
Black smoke gathered around Aron's right hand.
Slowly, a dark sword appeared.
The blade looked strange, almost alive.
Aron stared at it silently.
Then something unexpected happened.
Memories suddenly flashed inside his mind.
A battlefield covered in blood.
Thousands of soldiers kneeling before a man sitting on a black throne.
That man looked exactly like Aron.
"The Shadow King…"
Aron grabbed his head in pain.
"What is happening to me?!"
The monster attacked again.
Without thinking, Aron moved instinctively.
SWISH!
The dark blade sliced through the monster's arm instantly.
Black blood splashed across the street.
The monster screamed in pain.
Aron froze.
"I… cut it?"
His breathing became heavy.
A strange excitement slowly filled his chest.
The fear inside him began disappearing.
Instead…
He wanted more power.
The monster roared wildly and rushed toward him again.
This time, Aron didn't run.
He stepped forward.
Shadow energy exploded around his body.
SWOOSH!
Aron disappeared and reappeared behind the monster.
The creature stopped moving.
A thin red line appeared across its neck.
Then—
THUD!
Its giant head fell onto the ground.
Silence filled the street.
Aron stared at the dead monster with shaking eyes.
He actually killed it.
Warm energy spread throughout his body.
His wounds slowly started healing.
Aron looked at his hands in disbelief.
"This power… is real."
Suddenly, more screams echoed from nearby buildings.
Several monsters were chasing a little girl and her mother.
"Help us!!"
The mother fell onto the road while protecting her daughter.
One of the monsters raised its claws.
Aron's eyes became cold.
Without hesitation, he ran forward.
His speed was far beyond normal humans now.
Within seconds, he reached them.
The monsters turned toward him and growled.
There were three this time.
Aron swallowed nervously.
"I can win…"
[Ding!]
[Side Mission]
[Protect Survivors]
[Reward: Shadow Soldier Skill]
Aron's eyes lit up.
"Shadow Soldier…"
The name alone sounded powerful.
The monsters attacked together.
Aron jumped backward quickly.
One claw barely missed his face.
Another monster rushed from the side.
BOOM!
Aron crashed into a broken wall.
Pain spread across his body.
The monsters slowly approached him.
For a second, fear returned.
Maybe he still wasn't strong enough.
But then—
A voice echoed inside his head.
"Rise… my king…"
Aron's eyes turned completely black.
Dark energy burst out violently.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Even the monsters stopped moving.
They seemed afraid.
Aron slowly stood up.
His face showed no emotion.
Only darkness.
"Die."
In one instant, he vanished.
SLASH!
One monster split into two pieces.
SLASH!
The second monster lost its head.
The final creature tried to escape.
But shadow chains suddenly emerged from the ground and grabbed its body.
The monster screamed desperately.
Aron raised his sword calmly.
"Become my shadow."
The creature's body dissolved into black smoke.
Then…
A dark soldier appeared beside Aron.
It looked exactly like the monster, but its eyes now glowed purple.
[Ding!]
[Shadow Soldier Created]
Aron stared silently at the creature kneeling before him.
"My first soldier…"
The little girl looked at him with shining eyes.
"Mister… are you a hero?"
Aron remained silent for a moment.
Hero?
No.
He remembered the throne from his vision.
The endless army.
The darkness.
Something deep inside him whispered the truth.
He was not meant to become a hero.
He was meant to become something far greater.
The future Shadow King.
Far above the burning city, the red portal suddenly started shaking violently.
Then…
A gigantic golden eye opened inside the portal.
It silently stared directly at Aron.
[Ding!]
[Warning]
[A Higher Being Has Found You]
Aron slowly looked up at the sky.
For the first time since gaining his powers…
He felt true fear.
And somewhere beyond the portal—
Something smiled.