The first creature stepped into the light.Ethan didn't attack.He watched.Four legs.Long body.Pale skin.Its head was covered by a bone-like mask.A second creature appeared behind it.Then a third.Ethan slowly counted.Seven.Eight.Ten.More shapes moved in the darkness.He opened his status.[TARGET INFORMATION UNAVAILABLE.]Ethan frowned.Again.Nothing.He tried the identification function he'd used thousands of times in the old game.Still nothing."Great."One of the creatures lowered itself.It was preparing to attack.Ethan tightened his grip on the short sword he'd bought from a street merchant.It wasn't a great weapon.The blade was cheap.The balance was poor.But it was better than the metal pipe.The creature lunged.Ethan moved.Its

The Hunter Association was packed before Ethan even arrived.People filled the streets around the building.Some had traveled from other cities just to take the ranking test.Others were there to watch.A giant screen had been installed above the entrance.HUNTER RANKING ASSESSMENTF ? SThe letters were simple.But everyone understood what they meant.A rank could determine a person's future.Better guild offers.Better dungeon access.Better equipment.Better pay.Status.Power.Ethan watched the crowd.Some people were nervous.Others were already boasting."I'll get B-rank.""My brother awakened an A-rank class.""There's supposed to be someone with S-rank potential."The world had changed quickly.Too quickly.Only weeks ago, most people had ordinary lives.Now everyone was asking the same question:Who will become the strongest?Ethan wasn't in

Ethan didn't tell Mina about the figure he had seen in the underground chamber.Not yet.There were already too many questions.The strange map.The hidden chamber.The six-person memory.The system's warning.And the message that had appeared after they left.[PHASE ONE: SUCCESS.]Someone had wanted Ethan to come back.Someone had been waiting for him.And Ethan had no idea why.The others walked ahead.Leonard led the way.Kieran carried the equipment.Mara and Daniel discussed the map in low voices.Mina stayed beside Ethan.Noah was nowhere among them.That bothered Ethan.He had expected the mysterious man to follow.Instead, Noah had simply disappeared.Mina noticed Ethan looking behind them."Looking for someone?""No.""You've been looking behind us for the last five minutes."Ethan smiled faintly."Old habit.""From the game?""From sur

Ethan ran. He didn't know how long. He didn't know how far. He only knew that Leonard had disappeared into the darkness, and every instinct in him demanded that he follow. Mina was behind him. Kieran and Mara followed. Daniel brought up the rear. But Noah was gone. Again. Ethan reached the place where Leonard had disappeared. Nothing. No body. No blood. No footprints. Only a single mark burned into the stone. A circle. Six lines extending from it. Ethan recognized it immediately. The same symbol from the map. The same symbol from the underground chamber. The same symbol that had appeared in his memories. Mina caught up. "Ethan." He didn't respond. She looked at the mark. "What is that?" "I don't know." "You've seen it before." Ethan finally looked at her. "Yes." "Where?" He hesitated. "In my memories." Mina's expression softened. "What did you see?" Ethan stared at the symbol. "Six people." Kieran stopped. Mara looked at him. Daniel's expression