2026-08-07 19:34:01"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?]
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
The Person Who Should Have Disappeared
"Sit down. We're talking now."Amara closed the door to her private office, her voice firm even though a hint of caution still lingered beneath it.A few minutes earlier, as they walked down the hallway, neatly dressed staff members had stared at Raka with puzzled expressions, wondering why their superior had brought a man in a worn black hoodie straight into her private office without a word of explanation. Amara ignored every curious glance, giving the receptionist a brief signal to make sure no one disturbed them.Raka sat in the chair she indicated, while Amara remained standing several steps away, keeping her distance. Her eyes never left him, watching his every move."Who are you?" Amara said. It sounded less like a question and more like a demand. "And how do you know the name Azrael?""I came because there's something I need to tell you," Raka replied calmly."That's not the answer," Amara cut in."I know. But I need you to trust me before I explain any further."Amara folded
The Man in the Black Hoodie
"I can't keep thinking about this alone."Raka woke up that morning with a decision he had already made the night before. Amara's message was still displayed on his phone. Azrael's account had been completely erased, the Shadow Master class was not recorded in any database, the hidden gate with the corrupted audio log, all of it had piled into one massive question he could no longer answer on his own."If there's one person who might know something, it's her."He changed into whatever clothes he could find. The worn black hoodie was the only choice he had in his closet, so he put it on and headed for an address he had known for a long time from community news reports."Sorry, this area is restricted to staff and registered guests. Who are you?"Raka stopped in front of the large glass doors Order of the First Light building. Two broad-shouldered security guards immediately blocked his path.The building towered overhead, its sides covered in gleaming glass. Well-dressed people moved i
After Azrael Disappeared
"It's already morning."Raka opened his eyes, his own hoarse voice breaking the silence of the room. There were no system notifications floating before his face, no status window, and no shadow of Erebus waiting for his command. There was only the cramped room, its paint beginning to fade, and a pile of laundry in the corner that he had yet to clean up.He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes. His body still felt heavy despite having slept for a long time inside the capsule. The wall clock showed eleven in the morning."Late again," he muttered, lazily getting up and heading toward the small kitchen in the corner of the apartment.He poured water into a glass and drank it quickly before opening the refrigerator, which contained little more than some sliced bread and eggs. It was a simple breakfast, far removed from the luxury people might imagine for a top-ranked player in a massive game."If they knew Azrael ate dry bread every morning, they probably wouldn't be so impresse
The Black Hollow Rumor
"Thanks a lot. You really saved us back there."Ironwall patted Nox on the shoulder as they stepped out of the city gates, his grin still wide after their victory in the Old Root Dungeon."No problem," Nox replied briefly, though the corners of his lips lifted slightly."We're going to grab something to eat at the tavern nearby," Brightpetal said, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Want to come?"Nox hesitated for a moment. His old habits as a solo player nearly made him refuse, but something held him back."Sure," he finally replied.The small tavern was nowhere near as crowded as the main street. Simple wooden tables were scattered throughout the room, and the aroma of warm soup filled the air. The four of them sat in a corner, ordering simple meals as they rested."That was seriously crazy," Swiftfeather excitedly told the tavern server who happened to walk past. "We cleared the dungeon that fast, even though it usually takes more than two hours.""It was nothing. You're just s
The Beginner Party
"Hey, you! Want to join our party? We need one more player!"Nox turned and found three young players waving enthusiastically from in front of the beginner dungeon bulletin board."Me?" Nox pointed at himself, making sure they had not mistaken him for someone else."Yeah, you!" A muscular young man with a large shield strapped to his back stepped closer, flashing a wide grin. "My name's Ironwall. I'm the tank for this party. We're about to enter the Old Root Dungeon, but we're short one DPS."A girl in a white robe nodded behind him. "I'm Brightpetal, the healer. The one over there is Swiftfeather, our archer."Swiftfeather raised his bow slightly and offered an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you. What level are you?""Twenty-four," Nox answered briefly."Perfect!" Ironwall exclaimed excitedly. "This dungeon is recommended for levels twenty to twenty-five. So, what do you say? Want to join?"Nox actually wanted to refuse. The easiest excuse was already on the tip of his tongue. But some
Selling the Loot
"Let me see the items first. Don't rush into negotiating a price before you know what they're worth."The material shop owner, an elderly man with a thick beard and glasses perched at the tip of his nose, held out his hand, waiting for Nox to place his goods on the counter.Nox took out several items from last night's dungeon and placed them one by one on the worn wooden counter."Three Bone Reaver feathers, and one crystal core from a Bone Sovereign."The old man picked up one of the feathers, turning it beneath the lamplight as his brows slowly drew together."This quality is too good," he muttered, eyeing Nox suspiciously. "Ordinary Bone Reaver feathers aren't this clean, especially when they still have energy residue that hasn't dissipated.""It's from a Bone Reaver, I killed it last night," Nox replied flatly."What level are you?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes."Twenty-four."The shop owner let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "The Bone Reavers in the dungeon I'm thinking of
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