The air grew heavier.
Colder.
Darker.
Arjun stood in the middle of the ruined land, his breath steady but his senses on edge.
Around him—
Pairs of glowing red eyes stared from the darkness.
Not one.
Not two.
But dozens.
"…So it wasn't just one," he muttered.
A low growl echoed from every direction.
The ground trembled slightly as the creatures began to move.
[Warning: Multiple Hostile Targets]
[Estimated Threat Level: High]
Arjun exhaled slowly.
"High, huh…?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Good."
His fingers tightened around the blood-stained metal rod.
The shadows at his feet began to shift—
Responding to his will.
"Let's see… how far I can go."
Suddenly—
ROOOAAARRR!
The first monster lunged.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds—
They all charged at once.
"Come!"
[Shadow Step Activated]
WHOOSH!
Arjun vanished just before the first claw struck.
The ground exploded where he had been standing.
He reappeared behind one of the creatures—
And without hesitation—
STAB!
The rod pierced through its neck.
Black blood splattered.
[Enemy Eliminated]
But there was no time to celebrate.
"Too many…!"
Another claw came from the side.
[Shadow Step Activated]
He dodged again—
Barely.
The sharp edge grazed his arm, slicing through his skin.
"Tch…!"
Pain shot through his body.
But he didn't stop.
He couldn't afford to.
More monsters surrounded him.
Blocking every escape.
"…So this is a trap," he whispered.
[Hint: Survive or Die]
Arjun's eyes narrowed.
"Then I'll survive."
Suddenly—
He slammed his foot on the ground.
"Move!"
The shadows responded instantly.
WHOOSH!
Dark tendrils shot out in all directions—
Binding two monsters at once.
They struggled violently—
But Arjun didn't hesitate.
He dashed forward—
STAB! STAB!
Two clean hits.
Two kills.
[Level Up!]
[Level 2 → Level 3]
Energy surged through his body again.
His wounds began healing.
His strength increasing.
"This… is insane…"
But the monsters didn't stop.
More kept coming.
From the left.
From the right.
From behind.
Arjun spun around—
[Shadow Step Activated]
He dodged—
But this time—
CRASH!
A massive claw slammed into his back mid-move.
"AAAGH!"
He was thrown across the ground.
Dust exploded as he crashed hard.
[HP: Critical]
"…Damn it…"
He tried to stand—
But his body refused.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Heavy.
A larger monster emerged from the darkness.
Bigger.
Stronger.
More terrifying than the rest.
Its eyes glowed brighter than all the others.
[Warning: Elite Monster Detected]
Arjun's heart skipped a beat.
"…Elite?"
The creature stepped forward.
Each step shaking the ground.
It opened its mouth—
Revealing rows of sharp, dripping teeth.
"This… might be bad…"
Arjun forced himself up.
His legs trembling.
"I can't lose here…"
The elite monster suddenly vanished—
"WHAT—?!"
It reappeared right in front of him.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
A massive claw came crashing down—
Arjun reacted instantly—
[Shadow Step Activated]
WHOOSH!
He barely escaped—
The attack missed his head by inches.
But the shockwave—
BOOM!
Sent him flying again.
He hit the ground hard.
Rolling.
Bleeding.
"…This thing is on another level…"
His breathing became heavy.
His vision blurred.
"No…"
He clenched his fists.
"I didn't come this far… to die again."
The elite monster charged once more—
Faster than before.
Arjun stood still.
Calm.
Silent.
Then—
DING!
[New Skill Unlocked]
His eyes widened.
[Skill: Shadow Bind (Level 1)]
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"…Perfect timing."
The monster leaped—
Ready to crush him.
Arjun raised his hand.
"Let's end this."
The shadows beneath the monster suddenly exploded upward—
BOOOOM!
Dark chains wrapped around its entire body—
Binding it mid-air.
The creature roared violently.
Struggling.
Breaking.
But Arjun didn't give it time.
He stepped forward slowly.
Each step filled with killing intent.
"This time…"
He picked up the metal rod again.
"You die."
He jumped—
And drove the rod straight into its skull.
SCREEEEECH!
The elite monster screamed—
Then went silent.
THUD.
Its massive body collapsed.
Everything went quiet.
Arjun stood there—
Breathing heavily.
Covered in blood.
But alive.
DING!
[Elite Monster Eliminated]
[Massive Reward Granted]
[Level Up!]
[Level 3 → Level 5]
A powerful wave of energy exploded inside him.
His wounds healed instantly.
His strength surged.
"…I'm getting stronger…"
But then—
DING!
[New Mission Unlocked]
Arjun froze.
"…Now what?"
A new screen appeared before his eyes.
[Mission: Enter the Shadow Gate]
[Time Limit: 1 Hour]
In the distance—
A dark portal slowly opened.
From inside it…
Came a terrifying, endless scream.
Arjun stared at it.
"…So the real game begins now."
🔥 [End of Chapter 3]