"Chicken's good! Might have to pay this Golden Pot Diner a visit!" Scarface had said, licking his greasy fingers before hurling the empty takeout box at Leo's half-conscious body. The box had landed with a pathetic flop, a final insult atop the injuries.The tattooed guy snorted, "now you know better than to run your mouth like a fucking peace of crap." Having said that, he kicked Leo one last time before following the rest of the crew.Leo's phone had vibrated against his chest like an alarm clock from hell. Even through the haze of pain, he saw Chef Chu's name flash across the cracked screen. The irony that the phone still worked stung harder than the bruises.He groaned and answered."YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BASTARD!" Chef Chu's voice exploded through the speaker. The Cantonese curses were sharp and fast, slapping Leo's eardrums like open palms. "The customer had been calling me for the past 30 minutes that you hadn't turned up!""Rather than yelling at me, ask your fucking customer w

Leo stood frozen, the dense forest air heavy around him as he glanced nervously in every direction. The thick mist slithered between trees like silent ghosts, and every rustle of leaves made his nerves jolt. "Come on then! You think I'm scared? You ugly piece of oversized furball! I dare you to show your face!" he shouted into the trees, his voice trembling despite his attempt at bravado. "Yeah, I eat monsters like you for breakfast!" he added, waving his hands around. "You're just a glorified oversized raccoon!"As if summoned by his taunts, the ground beneath his feet quaked slightly. A low, guttural growl echoed through the forest, causing birds to scatter in panicked flight. Branches snapped. Leaves rustled violently. Then—BOOM!From the dense underbrush, an enormous beast pounced out and landed a few feet from Leo, shaking the ground. Leo's legs nearly buckled under him as his eyes widened in horror. The creature was massive—easily three times the size of a bear, with rough, obs

The spirit shot forward. He ducked and rolled, stabbing upward. The blade passed through but disrupted the spirit’s form.[Soul Damage Inflicted. Wisp Integrity: 72%]“Okay, I can hurt it!”The spirit countered with a psychic shriek. Leo clenched his teeth, blood trickling from his ears.“Not again—damn it!”He triggered Quick Strike, blinking behind the Wisp, then jabbed his dagger into the base of its form.[Soul Damage Inflicted. Wisp Integrity: 21%]The Wisp convulsed, then surged toward the shrine, trying to absorb its energy.“Nope!” Leo hurled a chunk of stone at the base of the shrine. The pulse stuttered.The Wisp screamed. Leo lunged in, stabbing once more.With a final keening wail, the ghost exploded into wisps of silver light.[Mission Complete: Echoing Shrine Activated. Rewards granted. Skill Obtained: Spirit Link (Passive) – Enables detection of spiritual entities within 10 meters. Intelligence +1. Luck +1.]Leo collapsed beside the shrine, gasping.“So that’s what a sp

Meanwhile, in a large, opulent office adorned with dark mahogany walls, gold trim, and shelves of ancient artifacts, a man stood tall by the full-length window. He looked to be around six feet, clad in a sharp black suit that hugged his muscular frame. His presence exuded authority. His sharp eyes scanned the horizon beyond the glass, lost in thought.Behind him stood a man with peach-colored hair slicked back neatly, a single monocle perched on his left eye, magnifying the sharp gleam in it. His name was Cassian Vale.“Mr. Ryu,” Cassian began, his voice polished, professional. “The situation in Darkvale Forest is becoming increasingly unstable. Reports suggest the Nightscale Crawlers are growing more aggressive.”Ryu turned slowly to face him, his jawline sharp, his expression unreadable. “Have we rounded up the D-class hunters?”Cassian nodded. “Yes, sir. They're assembled and awaiting your orders.”Ryu walked back to his grand desk, sitting down with a measured sigh. He laced his f

The first thing Leo felt was the stiffness in his limbs. Then the soft humming of fluorescent lights. The antiseptic scent of the hospital wafted into his nostrils, grounding him in the present. His body was oddly light, and his chest didn’t hurt as much as he expected. He blinked groggily, his vision sharpening just in time to catch sight of Captain Draegon and Vice-Captain Nyx standing at the foot of his bed.“You’re awake,” Draegon said, voice calm and composed.Leo opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a low groan. His throat was dry, and his head still felt like it had been through a war zone.Draegon stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Leo’s shoulder, keeping him from sitting up too quickly. “Easy. You’ve been out for two days.”Leo frowned. “Two days?”Nyx gave a curt nod. “We found you in the inner floor of a Rift in Darkvale Forest. Barely breathing. Your vitals were a mess, but… now?” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “It’s like your wounds vanished overni