Just as Leo was mumbling to himself and scrolling through the synthesis options the system had presented after claiming the Abyss Wyrm Core, the hum of the system’s blue interface illuminating his face, a heavy shadow loomed over him.One of the mages from the team—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a severe face and trimmed obsidian beard—approached him with a glint of suspicion in his pale gray eyes. His aura was sharp, cut from years of magical discipline, yet his energy wavered slightly—either from fear or barely masked insecurity. His name was Darius, a C-Class Fire Mage, and while he’d said little during the earlier chaos, his pride was loud enough to fill the chamber now.“Hey,” Darius said, standing before Leo with a puffed chest and crossed arms. “You disappeared back there. Without a spell. Without a portal. What sort of sorcery are you using? You know sorcery is banned within the Rift.”Leo didn’t even look up at first. His finger swiped lazily across the interface.“I’m not

The battleground was painted in shadows and flame.Leo twisted and ducked beneath the slashing claws of a demonic gargoyle, its obsidian wings slicing through the stale, sulfur-laced air. With fluid movement, he spun on his heel, jamming his blade upward into the creature’s chin. The blade sparked and sliced through, disintegrating the demon into dark smoke. Behind him, the rest of the team fought in tandem, fending off the relentless swarm.“Formation Delta! Fall back behind the tanks! Mages, fire in intervals! Don’t waste mana!” Leo’s voice rang out over the chaos.Sammy and two other assassins moved like blurs, carving through wings and claws. The mages launched bursts of lightning and fire that lit the tunnels in strobing flashes of hellish brilliance. The warriors held the front line with grit, sweat, and sheer force.Leo’s commands kept the team alive. Casualties were minimal. One minor injury here, a scratch there—but nothing fatal. Not like Darius.With each gargoyle that fell

Leo staggered slightly, blood crusted on his chin and knuckles aching from the last strike he’d delivered to the Gargoyle Lord. The massive stone den around him now felt eerily silent, save for the low rumble of wind through jagged pillars.He still held the shimmering orange core, its heat pulsing faintly in his hand.And yet, the system’s timer reminded him:[Time Remaining: 09:37]Objective Incomplete: Obsidian Key of Dominion Not Acquired.Leo groaned, “Of course it’s not over. Why would it be?” Turning to face the gargoyles, he asked, "Which one of you knows where the key is?"Without warning, one of the gargoyles—larger than the rest, wings like scythes and stone horns curled back—swooped down from the shadows and crouched in front of him. Leo tensed… until the beast knelt.Then it gestured with a talon, as if beckoning.Leo blinked. “…You want me to ride you?”The creature only bowed its head lower in response.“Not gonna lie, this is creepy,” Leo muttered, but climbed on anywa

Leo returned to the forest, flanked by the summoned Stoneclaws. The sun had begun its descent behind the dense forest canopy, casting amber beams through the trees. Twigs snapped beneath their heavy, clawed feet, and birds scattered as if sensing that something unnatural had invaded their territory.The trees parted, revealing the dreadful sight that was Leo’s “home.”No one said a word.They all stood, blinking at the structure like it was a bad joke.Leo’s shack — if one dared call it that — was a leaning mess of warped wood, a rusted tin roof with more holes than coverage, and a chimney that looked like it had survived multiple wars. A sad patch of dead grass sat in front of the door, while a crooked wooden sign read “Home Sweet Hell.”Mira, the first to break the silence, froze mid-step. Her blue stone-like skin turned slightly paler. She slowly turned to Leo, her lips twitching.Then it happened.She burst out laughing. “Oh my god, what is this?!”The others followed. Deep, uncont

Meanwhile, in the Central Government Guild Headquarters, the atmosphere was unusually heavy. The marble floors gleamed beneath the golden chandeliers, and guards stood rigid at every doorway. The president’s office, however, was quieter, though tension rippled in the air like a bowstring drawn too tight.A man in a white lab suit, his glasses slightly fogged from his hurried pace, burst into the room. His breathing was uneven, but his voice carried urgency.“Mr. Chu!” he exclaimed, “We detected a strange energy from an area off the eastern coast!”Mr. Haruki Chu who was in a virtual meeting with few subordinates regarding expanding the hunters library and providing free access paused. His pen stilled above the documents he was reviewing, and he lifted his head slowly, frowning.“Jasper,” he said evenly, “give me the coordinates.”The man, Jasper, fumbled through his datapad and handed it over. “Until this morning, the energy was stable, neutral even. It seemed dormant, like it had bee