Storm of Shadows

Chapter 1

A century ago, mysterious rifts known as domains began appearing throughout the world of Asterra. Each domain led to an unknown environment filled with monstrous creatures, dangerous magical energy, and relics left behind by an ancient civilization.

Ordinary weapons were useless against many of these creatures, and humanity soon learned that only those with awakened magical abilities could fight them.

These people became known as Hunters.

Hunters are ranked according to the amount of magical power within their bodies, from F-rank at the bottom to S-rank at the top. Their abilities determine their place in society, their opportunities, and the dangers they are qualified to face.

However, once a person’s magical potential is established, no amount of individual effort can change its limits.

In a world where power determines everything, those without magic are left with little hope of changing their fate.

Present Day…

Verizon was a bustling modern city filled with towering skyscrapers, busy commercial districts, and crowded streets. Cars moved steadily toward their destinations while people went about their daily routines.

At a secured construction site, a group of Hunters gathered outside a massive structure, waiting for their raid to begin. There were at least nine of them, each equipped with the gear they needed for the expedition.

The building was surrounded by a thick layer of white fog. It stretched across the construction site, obscuring everything beyond it. To anyone familiar with domains, the sight was unmistakable. Somewhere within the fog lay an invisible rift, an entrance to another world.

Yet the Hunters waiting nearby seemed completely at ease. Some chatted among themselves, while others checked their equipment or simply waited for the signal to enter.

Inside a nearby coffee truck, a young man handed a cup of coffee to an older Hunter who was in his middle age leaning against the counter.

“Good luck with today’s raid.”

The older man accepted the cup with a relaxed smile. “Thank you.”

“Hey, Renard!”

The old man, Renard, looked up and spotted a familiar face approaching him, one hand raised in greeting.

“Been a while!” the newcomer called out.

Renard’s face brightened with surprise. “Well, if it isn’t Howard! What are you doing here? I thought you said you’d had enough of hunting.”

Howard let out an awkward laugh. “That was before my wife got pregnant with our third child. What can I do?”

“Ah, that explains it.” Renard chuckled. “Well, if today’s raid goes smoothly and we’re lucky enough to find some relics or valuable resources, you could be walking away with a decent amount of money.”

Howard took a deep breath and glanced toward the fog surrounding the building.

“That’s what I’m hoping for. Though, for some reason, I’m feeling a little nervous. It’s been so long since my last raid that I’m not even sure I’m still in good shape. Not that I was particularly strong to begin with.”

Before Renard could respond, a young man standing nearby suddenly turned his head. His eyes widened with recognition before he called out to someone approaching the site.

“Hey, it’s Alan Frost!”

“What’s up, Alan?!”

A young man with a lean, almost scrawny frame walked into view. The moment he appeared, several Hunters greeted him, drawing his attention from one person to another.

Alan scratched the back of his head, forcing an awkward chuckle as he felt everyone’s eyes on him. Bandages still covered parts of his face from his previous raid, and his thin frame gave him a rather unhealthy appearance.

“Nice of you to come out despite the chilly weather,” someone remarked.

Alan laughed awkwardly again. “It’s good to be working with you guys today.”

Renard spotted him and waved with a friendly smile. “Hey, kid! Did you eat before coming here?”

Alan stopped and turned toward him. “Yes, sir. I had a proper meal.”

“Good, good. Don’t go starving yourself before a raid.”

“Of course.”

With that, Alan continued walking, searching for a quiet corner where he could wait until the expedition began. He clearly had no intention of drawing any more attention to himself than necessary.

Howard watched him go, then leaned closer to Renard.

“What’s his deal? Is he some kind of big shot? Everyone seems to know him.”

Renard let out a quiet laugh.

“Quite the opposite, actually. That kid is famous for being the weakest Hunter around here.”

Howard blinked. “The weakest? Not the strongest?”

“Nope.” Renard shook his head. “Word is, a trip into a Level One domain landed him in the hospital. I’m not even sure there’s another Hunter out there as weak as him.”

Howard stared at Alan, who had finally settled into a corner away from the others.

“Seriously? He’s that bad?”

Renard nodded. “That’s why, whenever he’s assigned to a raid, you can usually expect things to go smoothly. If someone like him can survive it, the domain probably isn’t all that dangerous.”

He chuckled before lowering his voice.

“Anyway, I’d hate for him to overhear us talking about him, so let’s leave it at that.”

Unfortunately, Alan had heard every word.

He lowered his head and sighed, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

“Too bad I already caught all of that,” he muttered. “Well, it’s not like I can argue with the truth.”

He wasn’t exactly proud of his reputation, but pretending otherwise wouldn’t change anything. As far as everyone here was concerned, he was a weak Hunter who had no business being anywhere near a domain.

And honestly, he couldn’t blame them for thinking that way.

Meanwhile, Howard’s attention shifted toward three unfamiliar young men standing a short distance away. They were gathered close together, speaking in hushed voices while occasionally glancing at the other Hunters.

He frowned.

“What about those guys? I’ve never seen them before. Were they part of the team?”

Renard followed his gaze.

The moment he saw the three strangers, his expression turned uncertain.

“Huh? I thought…” He paused, studying their faces. “No… they weren't…. I'm not sure… I thought…”

He scratched the back of his head and gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Guess I’m getting old.”

Howard shook his head.

“Well, let’s hope those youngsters don’t beat us to the good stuff. Since this is a Level One domain, finding anything truly valuable is difficult. Relics are especially rare compared to what you might find in higher-level domains.”

“Hmm.” Renard took a sip of his coffee. “I’ll be satisfied with a few magical herbs, mana crystals, and monster cores. Those are enough to make the trip worthwhile.”

A short distance away, one of the three unfamiliar men sneered.

“For a moment, I thought that old man was going to notice something.”

Another scoffed.

“Good thing he’s old. Otherwise, he might have ended up dead like the others.”

The third man said nothing. He simply glanced toward the entrance, his expression calm and unreadable.

Before the others could continue their conversation, an older man standing near the white fog raised his voice.

“Everyone, gather around!”

The Hunters, including Alan, immediately began moving toward him. Conversations died down as they formed a loose group in front of the entrance.

The older man known as Malcolm appeared to be the raid leader. With years of experience behind him, he carried himself with the confidence of someone accustomed to leading others into domains.

The three unfamiliar men exchanged glances.

“Looks like we’re heading in already,” one of them remarked.

He surveyed the assembled Hunters, his gaze lingering on Renard and Howard, the leader, Alan, before shifting toward the other members of the group.

“Two old men, two delicate ladies, one weak Hunter, and the rest don’t look like much either.”

A mocking smile spread across his face.

“This is going to be a piece of cake.”

At the front of the group, the raid leader raised his voice again.

“All right! Is everyone ready?”

Several Hunters responded with nods, while others checked their equipment one last time.

“I hope you’ve all come prepared. Once we enter, stay alert, don't cause trouble for each other, and don’t take unnecessary risks. Go in for what you're here for and make sure to kill every monster in your path. That is the only way the fog disappears.”

He turned toward the thick white fog, where the entrance to the domain waited.

“Let’s move out!”

One by one, the Hunters began advancing toward the rift.

Alan stayed behind for a few moments, steadying his nerves.

As he did so, Renard placed a hand on his shoulder, advising, “Hey, kid, try and hang in there behind us and don't get injured this time.”

With that, he walked into the fog, disappearing from sight.

“Right,” was all Alan could say.