The First Step into Darkness

Kai had made his choice.

He followed Lucian deeper into the underground world of Eldoria, leaving behind the remnants of his past. He wasn’t a noble anymore. He wasn’t a helpless child.

He was something else now.

The Shadow Fang's hideout was hidden beneath the ruins of an old temple. Kai expected a secret society of assassins to be quiet and solemn, but instead, it was alive.

Men and women trained relentlessly—sparring with daggers, practicing poisons, shadow-stepping between walls. Some honed their weapons, others whispered in dark corners, exchanging secrets.

Lucian led him to a circular chamber, where several assassins stood waiting.

A burly man with a scar across his neck eyed Kai coldly. “This is the kid?”

Lucian smirked. “He’ll last longer than you think, Garrick.”

Garrick snorted. “We’ll see.”

Kai met his gaze without flinching. “What do I have to do?”

Lucian crossed his arms. “Survive.”

Trial by Combat

The moment the words left Lucian’s lips, Garrick moved.

A flash of steel—a dagger aimed straight for Kai’s throat.

Kai’s instincts roared.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up. He twisted to the side, the blade slicing a few strands of his hair instead of his neck.

[Instinctive Combat – Lv. 1 Activated]

The system alert flickered in his vision, but he ignored it. Focus.

Garrick didn’t let up. He was fast—too fast for an ordinary person. His attacks came in a relentless flurry, his blade a silver blur.

Kai barely dodged the first few strikes, his small body moving on sheer survival instinct. But he had no weapon, no combat training.

And Garrick wasn’t holding back.

A kick to the ribs sent Kai sprawling across the floor. Pain exploded in his side, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.

Lucian’s voice was calm. “Get up. If you can’t stand, you’re dead.”

Kai refused to die.

His mind raced. He wasn’t strong. He wasn’t fast enough to overpower Garrick.

So he did the only thing he could.

He adapted.

The Predator’s Mind

Kai stopped dodging blindly. He watched.

He analyzed Garrick’s movements—the way his muscles tensed before an attack, the slight shift of his weight.

And then, he saw it.

A pattern.

Garrick favored his right hand. His strikes followed a predictable rhythm—left feint, right slash, low kick.

Kai narrowed his eyes.

When Garrick lunged again, Kai didn’t dodge completely. Instead, he let the dagger graze his arm—just enough to draw blood but not enough to cripple him.

In that moment, Garrick overextended.

Kai struck.

He threw his small fist into Garrick’s throat with everything he had.

Garrick choked, staggering back. Kai didn’t stop. He clawed at the assassin’s face, drove his knee into his gut, and then kicked his legs out from under him.

The older assassin crashed to the ground.

For the first time since the fight began, there was silence.

Kai stood over Garrick, his chest rising and falling. Blood dripped from his arm, but he barely noticed.

Lucian chuckled. “Not bad.”

Kai turned to him, his crimson eyes burning.

“Teach me more.”

Lucian’s smirk widened. “Oh, I will.”

The Path to Power

Over the next few months, Kai was forged in blood.

Lucian didn’t go easy on him. His training was brutal—dagger work, poisons, pressure points, stealth, endurance.

Every day, Kai was beaten, cut, and pushed past his limits. He was made to fight assassins twice his size. He learned how to disappear into the shadows, how to kill with a single strike, how to read the smallest movements.

And with every battle, every drop of blood spilled, his system adapted.

[New Skills Acquired!]

• Instinctive Combat – Lv. 2 (Enhanced reaction time and movement prediction.)
• Silent Steps – Lv. 1 (Erases footstep noise.)
• Killing Intent – Lv. 1 (Emits a pressure that weakens weaker enemies.)

Kai was no longer just a boy.

He was becoming a weapon.

And soon… he would be ready.

Ready to hunt.

TO BE CONTINUED…