Chapter 2 — Shadowborne Sovereign
Rael stepped over the mangled corpses, his footsteps soundless. Not because he was cautious—because Suppress Presence was active. No footsteps. No breath. No heartbeat detectable.
The dungeon walls shimmered as if the space itself recognized his authority.
{Dungeon Collapse Imminent. Exiting in 3... 2... 1...}
A soft ripple swept over his body.
When he blinked, he stood on cracked asphalt just outside the ruined metro station. Smoke still filled the sky. In the distance, screams and the faint thunder of explosions echoed.
"Same timeline... or slightly rewound?" he muttered.
{You returned within 10 minutes of death. Timeline shift: negligible.}
Rael opened his Status Tab.
Strength: 58Agility: 60Intelligence: 62Endurance: 55Talent:Shadowborne Sovereign (SSS-Rank)Overall Rank:Extraordinary Human
His stats were just above average humans. But his skills made those numbers irrelevant.
"System. Open shop. I need information tools."
{Search Parameters?}
"Best early-game items for stealth assassins."
Several selections floated up:
Shadow Cloak (Rare) – Increases stealth and movement speed in darkness.
Dagger of Silence (Epic) – Deals critical damage. Silences targets.
Skill Book: Shadow Clone (Rare) – Create one clone from nearby shadow.
"Buy all."
{Purchased. System Points deducted: 0. Items delivered to Inventory.}
The Shadow Cloak wrapped around him like liquid night. The Dagger materialized in his hand—sleek, jagged, and humming.
Rael exhaled slowly.
He was ready.
He walked back into the city.
Blackrest—the last standing settlement nearby—was barely holding together. Ruined buildings. Makeshift barricades. Armed civilians and Awakened patrolled the perimeter.
As Rael approached, a guard raised a gun. "Stop right—!"
He vanished with Void Step, reappearing behind the man.
The gun clattered to the ground.
Rael whispered, "Pick that up again, and I'll make sure your shadow never returns."
The man turned, white-faced. "W-Wait, are you... the one who cleared the death zone?"
News traveled fast. Rumors faster.
"I'm just passing through."
He stepped into the city.
Blackrest was chaos. The weak starved. The strong ruled. Guilds, gangs, and warlords kept their own territories.
Rael needed information—on awakened rankings, major threats, and dungeon locations.
He headed to the Whispers Tavern, where information flowed for coin or favors.
Inside, he found a shady crowd. Mercenaries, bounty hunters, black market dealers. Rael sat quietly in a shadowed booth.
A tall woman in a blood-red trench coat approached.
"First drink's free if you tell me how you killed the Bloodfang Alpha alone."
Rael didn't look up. "What's your name?"
"Syra. I sell rumors and lies. Both cost the same."
"I want a map. And a list of Awakened with S-Rank talents and above."
Her smile thinned. "That's expensive."
"I can pay."
He placed a Mana Crystal on the table—something he looted from the dungeon.
Her eyes widened. "Fine. You'll get your list. But be careful, stranger."
"Why?"
"Because you're not the only one who came back from the dead."
Rael's fingers twitched.
"What did you say?"
She leaned closer.
"There's a rumor... someone else got a system like yours. And they're hunting shadow users."
Back in the alley, Rael sat cross-legged and opened his Shadow Domain.
{Entering Shadow Domain. Time Flow: Frozen.}
The Domain had changed.
The shadow pillars were taller. The mist thicker.
{System Notification: Shadowborne Sovereign is evolving.}{Shadow Path Branch Unlocked: Assassin's Crown / Monarch's Veil / Abyssal Devourer}
He hovered over them:
Assassin's Crown – Focused on critical strikes, shadow cloning, and poison.
Monarch's Veil – Illusion, stealth fields, and crowd manipulation.
Abyssal Devourer – Shadow eating, soul corruption, and regeneration.
He chose Assassin's Crown.
{Path Selected. Shadowborne Sovereign: Evolution Phase 1 Initiated.}{New Skill: Execution Mark (Passive)}{Effect: Enemies marked by your shadow receive 25% more damage when unaware.}
Rael smiled.
Soon, the world would fear the shadows again.