. The aftermath of the battle left an eerie stillness in the void. The jagged twilight line that had divided the realm began to fade, replaced by a gentle glow emanating from the Tear of Umbralis. Its once-violent energy now hummed softly, resonating with the newfound balance in Eagan and Celeste. Eagan sheathed his sword with a weary sigh, glancing at Celeste. “So, that was fun. Remind me not to take any quests that involve ‘facing your inner darkness’ next time.” Celeste, still catching her breath, smirked faintly. “You say that now, but you’ll forget the moment someone waves a big reward in your face.” “You’re not wrong,” he admitted, his lips twitching into a tired grin. "Now that you have it, how will I get my reward?" He asked with a raised brow, and Celeste paused before reaching into her inner pocket. She brought out her phone, the one connected to the shadow web. Eagan watched as she clicked enter the web and clicked the mission as completed. "You have your details reg

. Lyra eyed Eagan sceptically, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the wall. "You want to join me on a dungeon run? Why? You’re not exactly the ‘team player’ type." "Besides, what would Alastair think?" She added. "As much as I like getting myself into trouble, I don't want to get in trouble with an S-level hunter for bringing his uncertified brother into a dungeon." Eagan raised an eyebrow at Lyra's mention of Alastair, his older brother. The last thing he needed was to get caught up in a mess involving the brother, who kept a very tight leash on him. "Alastair doesn't need to know," Eagan replied smoothly, though a hint of unease tugged at him. "I’m not exactly a rookie anymore. And besides, I’m not asking for his permission. I’m asking for a way to stay alive." Lyra gave him a sideways glance. "Yeah, well, I don't know if ' staying alive' is enough of a reason for your brother to keep his mouth shut. He’s the overprotective type." "He's not that bad," Eagan muttered

Eagan tightened his grip on his daggers as Lyra's words lingered in his mind. Purple-flamed lion. The name alone sent a shiver down his spine. The experience he'd had about flame-wielding dungeon beasts was few, but they all ended the same: death, destruction, and silence. “Great,” he muttered. “Just what I wanted—an incinerating lion.” Lyra shot him a sharp look as she folded the map and tucked it into her belt. “Don’t get cocky, Eagan. This isn’t one of those little skirmishes you’ve been through. That thing could melt us in seconds if we’re not careful.” He didn’t reply, his jaw tightening. Lyra wasn’t wrong. This was no ordinary dungeon beast. The lion’s flames weren’t just fire—they carried a kind of magic that defied the natural order, consuming not just flesh but the very essence of a person. He’d seen something like it once in his past life, and the memory still haunted him. They crept deeper into the forest-like cavern, the air growing thicker with each step. The fa

The golden firework continued to shimmer in the sky above the dungeon’s mouth, a beacon of achievement for all who saw it. Inside the labyrinth, groups of hunters paused mid-action, their gazes snapping upward as the light filtered through cracks and gaps in the walls. “Did you see that?” one hunter whispered, a mixture of awe and confusion in his tone. A grizzled warrior hefted his axe onto his shoulder. “Yeah, I saw it. The heart’s been destroyed.” “That’s impossible!” A younger mage exclaimed, his staff still glowing faintly from a recent spell. “No one’s cleared this dungeon in years! Even the big guilds couldn’t do it.” “Well, someone just did,” a rogue murmured, her voice tight with disbelief. “But who? Do you think it's the sword saint and their team?" "Are you blind?" A female hunter replied. "Can you see the sword saint and her team over there? I think she only brought the newbies to train this time since they didn't go deeper into the dungeon." Another hunter snorte

The streets of Zone C buzzed with life as Eagan made his way back home. The light breeze carried the scents of fresh bread and roasting meat, but his mind was elsewhere. Lyra’s words about the laboratory loot weighed heavily on him. He, of all people, knows the worth of everything they had acquired in the laboratory. Even though he hadn't participated in the raid of that particular dungeon in his past life, he remembered how impactful the elixirs that were found there were. One was particularly the talk of the town back then; even foreign countries had come over to buy, increasing the economy. The Elixir was called Magnum. It had an effect on every hunter. Once taken, it will permanently increase the mana level of the hunter. And as long as any ordinary individual has an affinity with mana, once taken, they can awaken as a hunter. It was this elixir Eagan had taken in his past life to finally awaken and remove his blockage. If such a mighty elixir is given to a kid to handle.