Reset After Solo Clear: Shadow Master Rebirth

Gate of the World

"Not an ordinary skeleton monster. It can learn."

Nox leapt backward, wiping the virtual blood from the corner of his lips as he stared at the massive skeletal knight that had just slammed him into the stone wall.

[Bone Sovereign Detected]

[Level: 27]

[Dungeon Boss — Beginner Tier]

The boss chamber was far larger than he had expected. Its ceiling towered high above, covered in carvings that emitted a faint purple glow, just like the hidden gate in the dead forest.

The Bone Sovereign raised its massive sword and brought it crashing down onto the floor. Cracks of blue light spread rapidly in all directions, forcing Nox and his summons to jump back.

"About a two-second delay before it can attack again. That’s enough time for a counter," Nox muttered, analyzing the newly revealed pattern.

He signaled the Erebus Guardian to move forward and hold the next attack, while the two Shadow Wisps split to the left and right, drawing the boss’s attention from multiple directions.

The Bone Sovereign cleaved one of the Shadow Wisps, shattering it into black mist that quickly vanished. The motion left its back exposed. Nox seized the opportunity with Shadow Step, shifting from the nearest pillar’s shadow. He drove his blade toward the boss’s neck, the same weak point as the Bone Reavers before.

The Bone Sovereign turned faster than expected. Its massive blade struck just before Nox could fully retreat.

[HP: 340/640]

"You’re prioritizing me because I deal the most damage. Smart enough AI to read that," he muttered, pulling back quickly as he thought.

The Erebus Guardian charged in, trying to hold the Bone Sovereign in place, but the boss ignored it, continuing toward Nox with its dim blue gaze locked onto him.

"Then I’ll give you a more tempting target." A faint grin appeared on his face, even as his breathing remained uneven.

He slipped into Umbral Veil just before the massive blade reached him, vanishing completely from the boss’s sight. The Bone Sovereign halted abruptly, its head turning as it searched in confusion for its missing target. In that moment, the Erebus Guardian finally landed a full-force strike, staggering the boss for the first time.

"Now," Nox hissed from within the shadows, counting the same interval. Two seconds. Long enough for a decisive blow.

He burst out, combining Shadow Step with full momentum, his blade plunging into the exact same point with everything he had left.

The Bone Sovereign let out a single roar, then fractured into hundreds of bone fragments, dissolving into particles of light far brighter than any monster he had defeated since the reset.

[Dungeon Boss Defeated!]

[Level Up!]

[Level: 24 → 25]

Nox dropped onto the stone floor, breathing hard, his smile now far wider.

[STATUS WINDOW]

Level: 25

HP: 780

Shadow Energy: 520

Shadow Capacity: 5 units

New Title: Conqueror of the Hidden Dungeon

At the center of the room, where the Bone Sovereign had fallen, a swirling blue portal slowly appeared.

"Time to return to main map," Nox said quietly, patting the Erebus Guardian’s shoulder. "But before that..."

[Shadow Dormancy Activated]

[All shadows merge into your own shadow]

The Erebus Guardian and the remaining Shadow Wisps vanished from sight, dissolving into his own shadow.

"This is better. I’d be a walking spectacle if players knew a Shadow Master role existed in Aurelis," he murmured before stepping into the portal.

The portal flung him into the middle of a small town square, far livelier than the silent ruins that had been his only view until now. Players moved about in every direction. Some were busy trading at NPC stalls, others were forming parties for group missions.

"Hey, are you new?"

Two players approached from a nearby NPC stall. A young man in mid-tier gear, a small badge on his chest marking him as a guild member, pointed at Nox with a curious expression.

"I’ve never seen anyone come out of that hidden dungeon before. Even our guild hasn’t managed to find its entrance."

"I just transferred servers," Nox replied briefly.

"Level 25, walking out solo from a dungeon we don’t even know how to enter?" The woman beside him raised an eyebrow, her tone a mix of admiration and suspicion. "That’s not something a new player usually does."

"I’m Denny." The man extended his virtual hand, friendly despite the curiosity still in his eyes. "This is Rani. We’re from the Little Dawn guild. Not famous yet, but we’re always looking for talented players."

Nox looked at the offered hand for a moment, his thoughts moving quickly. Joining meant being tied down. He had no intention of letting anyone connect him to Azrael. Refusing, however, meant losing access to information and resources he might need later.

"I haven’t decided which guild to join yet," he said at last, shaking Denny’s hand briefly. "But I don’t mind getting to know you first."

Denny grinned. "Fair enough. If you change your mind, find me here."

Rani continued to study him carefully. "By the way, your fighting style earlier, when you came out of the portal. I caught a glimpse of how you moved. It felt familiar, like I’ve seen it somewhere before."

Nox’s heart beat slightly faster, though his expression remained calm. "Probably just similar. A lot of players have comparable styles," he replied lightly.

Rani shrugged, though her gaze was not entirely convinced.

Nox excused himself shortly after, walking away from the NPC stalls toward the center of town, letting himself blend into the crowd for the first time since awakening as Nox.

Within his own shadow, unseen by anyone, the Erebus Guardian remained still in dormancy, waiting for the right moment to emerge again.

The town’s notice board was filled with quests and the latest server news. Nox’s eyes paused briefly on one headline that was still drawing attention.

[Latest News: Leaderboard Still Vacant at the Top. Who Is Azrael Really?]