Jaehwon limped through the dark, damp corridors of the dungeon, every step a reminder of his inadequacies. His hands trembled as he gripped the hilt of his sword, its dull blade a testament to his struggles as an E-rank hunter. He was known as the weakest hunter in the world, a title that weighed heavily on his shoulders. Despite his best efforts, he had never been able to surpass his rank, never been able to climb the ladder that so many others seemed to scale with ease. Today was no different. His party had left him behind, abandoning him in the depths of the dungeon to fend for himself.
"Useless, that's what they called me," Jaehwon muttered to himself, his voice echoing off the cold stone walls. "They might be right."
The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the distant sounds of monsters echoed through the tunnels, sending shivers down his spine. He knew he was out of his depth, but he had no choice but to keep moving forward. The dungeon was a labyrinth of twisting passages, each one more treacherous than the last. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and his vision blurred as exhaustion began to take its toll.
Just when he thought he couldn’t go on, a faint, eerie glow caught his attention. It was coming from a narrow passage to his left, a sliver of light cutting through the oppressive darkness.
“What… what is that?” Jaehwon whispered, narrowing his eyes. His curiosity got the better of him, and he slowly made his way toward the light. With each step, the glow grew brighter, illuminating the walls around him with an otherworldly radiance.
He reached the end of the passage, where the light pooled on the floor in front of a large, ornate door. The door was unlike anything he had ever seen in a dungeon before. It was carved with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and move as he stared at them, almost as if the door itself was alive. At its center was a strange symbol, glowing with the same light that had drawn him here.
“This is... incredible,” Jaehwon breathed, his fingers brushing against the door’s surface. The moment he touched it, the symbol began to pulse, sending a wave of energy coursing through his body.
The door creaked open with a low, rumbling sound, revealing a chamber bathed in darkness. Jaehwon hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back, but something compelled him to step inside.
As he crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind him, plunging the chamber into total darkness. Panic surged through him, and he spun around, desperately searching for a way out. But before he could move, a deep, resonant voice filled the chamber.
“You have finally arrived, Chosen One.”
Jaehwon froze, his heart hammering in his chest. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, surrounding him in a suffocating embrace. “W-who’s there?” he stammered, his voice shaking.
A figure emerged from the shadows, a tall man cloaked in darkness. His features were obscured, hidden beneath a veil of shadow that seemed to ripple and shift like smoke. Only his eyes were visible, glowing with an unnatural light that sent chills down Jaehwon’s spine.
“Do not be afraid,” the man said, his voice soothing and authoritative. “You have been chosen for a great purpose.”
“Chosen?” Jaehwon repeated, his mind racing. “I… I don’t understand. Who are you?”
The man stepped closer, and the shadows around him seemed to pulse in response to his movements. “I am the one who governs the shadows, the keeper of the ancient power that has been passed down through the ages. And now, I shall bestow this power upon you.”
“Power? Wait, you’ve got the wrong guy,” Jaehwon said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’m just an E-rank hunter. I’m not some… chosen one.”
The man’s lips curled into a faint smile, though it was hidden in the shadows. “Rank means nothing. Power is not determined by status, but by the strength of one’s will. You possess a potential that has been overlooked, Jaehwon.”
Jaehwon blinked in surprise. “How do you know my name?”
The man didn’t answer. Instead, he raised his hand, and the shadows around him surged forward, wrapping around Jaehwon like tendrils of darkness. Jaehwon gasped, struggling against the force that held him in place, but it was no use.
“Accept the shadow’s embrace,” the man intoned, his voice echoing in Jaehwon’s mind. “Let it become a part of you, and you shall wield a power unlike any other.”
“No… stop!” Jaehwon cried, his body trembling as the shadows seeped into his skin, filling him with a cold, burning sensation that threatened to consume him.
“You must endure,” the man’s voice whispered in his ear. “Only then will you be worthy of the Shadow Authority.”
Jaehwon’s vision blurred, the chamber around him spinning as the shadows continued to pour into him. His thoughts became disjointed, fragmented, as if his mind was being torn apart by the overwhelming force. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the pain stopped. The shadows receded, leaving Jaehwon gasping for breath on the cold stone floor. He felt different, though he couldn’t quite place how. There was a new weight in his chest, a presence that hadn’t been there before.
The shadowy figure knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It is done,” the man said softly. “You are now the bearer of the Shadow Authority.”
Jaehwon stared up at him, his mind reeling. “What… what did you do to me?”
“I have awakened the power that lay dormant within you,” the man replied. “With this power, you shall no longer be bound by the limitations of your rank. You will rise above, and those who once mocked you will tremble in fear.”
“I don’t want that kind of power,” Jaehwon protested weakly. “I just wanted to be strong enough to protect others… not to… to become a monster.”
The man’s gaze softened, and for a moment, the shadows around him seemed to lighten. “Power is neither good nor evil, Jaehwon. It is the wielder who determines its nature. Remember that.”
Jaehwon’s eyelids grew heavy, and he could feel his consciousness slipping away. The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was the man’s glowing eyes, watching him with an inscrutable expression.
When Jaehwon awoke, he was no longer in the dungeon. He found himself lying in a hospital bed, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling his nostrils. His body ached all over, and his head throbbed with a dull, persistent pain.
“What… what happened?” he mumbled, trying to sit up, but his limbs felt like lead.
“You’re awake!” a voice exclaimed, and a nurse hurried to his bedside. “You’ve been out for nearly two days. We were starting to get worried.”
“Two days?” Jaehwon echoed, his mind still foggy. “How did I get here?”
“An emergency team found you unconscious at the entrance to the dungeon,” the nurse explained as she checked his vitals. “You were in pretty bad shape, but there didn’t seem to be any serious injuries. Just extreme exhaustion and some minor cuts and bruises.”
Jaehwon frowned, trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. The last thing he remembered was the shadowy figure in the dungeon, the strange power that had been forced into him. Had it all been a dream? It felt too real to be a mere hallucination.
“Was there… anyone else with me?” he asked hesitantly, searching the nurse’s face for any sign of recognition.
The nurse shook her head. “No, you were alone when they found you. Why? Were you expecting someone?”
“No, it’s just…” Jaehwon trailed off, unsure of how to explain what he had experienced. “Never mind. It’s probably nothing.”
The nurse gave him a reassuring smile. “You’ve been through a lot, so it’s natural to feel a bit disoriented. Just focus on resting and getting your strength back. The doctor will be in to see you shortly.”
As the nurse left the room, Jaehwon let out a shaky breath and sank back into the pillows. He stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts a chaotic swirl of confusion and fear.
“What happened to me?” he whispered to himself, lifting a hand to his chest. He could still feel the faint pulse of the shadowy power within him, a constant reminder of the strange encounter in the dungeon.
Before he could dwell on it any further, the door to his room opened, and a tall man in a white coat entered. The man’s expression was calm and professional, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that made Jaehwon uneasy.
“Good to see you’re awake,” the doctor said, his voice smooth and even. “I’m Dr. Choi. How are you feeling?”
“Confused, mostly,” Jaehwon admitted, sitting up straighter. “I don’t really remember what happened, and… I feel different.”
“Different how?” Dr. Choi asked, pulling up a chair beside the bed.
“It’s hard to explain,” Jaehwon said, struggling to find the right words. “It’s like there’s something inside me that wasn’t there before. Something… dark.”
Dr. Choi’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his expression remained neutral. “When the emergency team brought you in, they noted that your mana levels were unusually high for someone of your rank. Has this ever happened to you before?”
Jaehwon shook his head. “No, never. I’ve always had trouble with mana control, and my reserves have always been low. But now… it’s like there’s this well of power inside me that I don’t know how to control.”
Dr. Choi leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Tell me, Jaehwon… do you remember anything unusual happening in the dungeon? Anything that might explain this sudden change?”
Jaehwon hesitated, debating whether or not to tell the doctor about the shadowy figure and the power he had been given. He wasn’t sure if it was real or just a figment of his imagination, but the memory of it was too vivid to ignore.
“There was… someone in the dungeon,” Jaehwon began slowly, choosing his words carefully. “A man, covered in shadows. He said I was the ‘Chosen One’ and that he was going to give me something called the ‘Shadow Authority.’”
Dr. Choi’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something—recognition?—in his eyes. “Shadow Authority, you say? That’s a term I haven’t heard in a long time.”
Jaehwon looked at the doctor, surprised. “You’ve heard of it?”
“Only in old texts and legends,” Dr. Choi replied, his tone measured. “The Shadow Authority is said to be a powerful ability passed down through certain bloodlines, granting the user control over shadows and the ability to manipulate them as they see fit. But it’s not something that just anyone can wield. It requires a strong will and a deep connection to the darkness within.”
“Do you think… that’s what happened to me?” Jaehwon asked, feeling a mix of fear and curiosity. “That I somehow inherited this power?”
“It’s possible,” Dr. Choi said, his gaze steady. “But power like this comes with a price. You’ll need to be careful, Jaehwon. The Shadow Authority is not something to be taken lightly. It can easily consume those who are not prepared for its burden.”
Jaehwon swallowed hard, the weight of the doctor’s words settling heavily on him. “What am I supposed to do now?”
“For now, focus on recovering,” Dr. Choi advised. “We’ll run some tests to see if we can determine the extent of this power and how it’s affecting you. In the meantime, I suggest you keep this to yourself. The world isn’t always kind to those who are different, especially when it comes to powers that are feared and misunderstood.”
Jaehwon nodded slowly, though his mind was still racing with questions. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his life had just taken a drastic turn, one that he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
“Rest for now,” Dr. Choi said, standing up and giving Jaehwon a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “We’ll figure this out together. You’re not alone in this.”
As the doctor left the room, Jaehwon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside him. The memory of the shadowy figure’s words echoed in his mind: *“You possess a potential that has been overlooked, Jaehwon.”*
Maybe this was his chance to prove himself, to finally break free of the limitations that had held him back for so long. But at what cost?
Jaehwon didn’t know what the future held, but one thing was certain: he was no longer the weakest hunter in the world. The shadows had awakened something within him, and there was no turning back.
Jaehwon sat up in his hospital bed, staring blankly at the wall. The events of the past few days swirled in his mind like a storm, the memory of the shadowy figure and the strange power he had been granted refusing to leave him. His body still ached, but it was the uncertainty of what lay ahead that weighed most heavily on him.
As he rubbed his temples, trying to ease the dull throbbing in his head, a sudden flash of light filled the room. Jaehwon blinked in surprise and looked up, only to see a faintly glowing screen hovering in front of him, seemingly made of light.
“What the…?” Jaehwon muttered, reaching out instinctively to touch the screen, but his hand passed through it as if it wasn’t there.
The screen flickered, and a series of numbers and words appeared on its surface:
---
**System Status:**
- **Strength:** 10
- **Mana:** 9
- **Health:** 11
**Daily Mission:**  
- 100 Push-Ups  
- 100 Sit-Ups  
- 100 Squats  
- 10-Kilometer Run  
**Note:** If the mission is not completed within 24 hours, a penalty will be given.
---
Jaehwon stared at the screen, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. “A… system? Like in those video games?” he whispered to himself, feeling a mix of confusion and awe.
He reached out again, this time tapping the screen lightly, and watched as it reacted to his touch. The numbers seemed to pulse faintly, almost as if they were alive. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This had to be some kind of joke, right?
“No way… this can’t be real,” Jaehwon muttered, shaking his head. “This has to be some kind of hallucination or side effect from whatever happened to me in that dungeon.”
He squinted at the screen, focusing on the numbers. His strength was at 10, mana at 9, and health at 11. Those numbers didn’t mean much to him, but they felt… underwhelming. He knew he wasn’t the strongest or the fastest, but this felt like an insult. Even his mana, which should have been his strongest attribute, was barely average.
And then there was the daily mission. Jaehwon frowned as he read the list of tasks. “100 push-ups? 100 sit-ups? 100 squats? And a 10-kilometer run?” he repeated incredulously. “That’s insane! Who do they think I am, some kind of super athlete?”
The note about the penalty made him pause, but he shrugged it off. “Probably just another scare tactic,” he muttered. “This has to be some kind of weird prank.”
He dismissed the screen with a wave of his hand, expecting it to disappear. But it stayed in front of him, a constant reminder of the tasks it demanded.
Jaehwon scoffed and turned his attention to the window, where the sun was beginning to set. He was still exhausted from everything he had been through, and the idea of doing that much physical activity right now seemed impossible. He decided to ignore it, figuring that he could deal with it later—if it even mattered at all.
Hours passed, and as the night deepened, Jaehwon found himself tossing and turning in bed. Every time he closed his eyes, the glowing screen would flash before him, reminding him of the mission. It was starting to get on his nerves.
“Ugh, fine!” he groaned, sitting up and throwing off the covers. “I’ll do a few push-ups, just to shut this thing up.”
He dropped to the floor and began the first push-up, his muscles already protesting from the strain. After just a few reps, he collapsed, panting heavily. His body wasn’t used to this kind of exertion, and it quickly became clear that he was in no shape to complete the mission.
“This is ridiculous,” Jaehwon grumbled, pushing himself back to his feet and wiping the sweat from his brow. “Whoever made this system has way too much faith in me.”
He stumbled back to bed, his limbs feeling like jelly, and collapsed onto the mattress. “I’ll finish it tomorrow,” he mumbled sleepily. “If it’s even real…”
The next morning, Jaehwon woke up with a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He groggily opened his eyes, only to be greeted by the same glowing screen hovering in front of him, now displaying a countdown timer.
**Time Left: 12 hours**
“Great,” Jaehwon muttered, rubbing his eyes. “Half the day gone, and I’ve barely done anything.”
He tried to push the anxiety away and went about his morning routine, hoping that ignoring the system would make it go away. But as the hours ticked by, the timer continued to count down, a constant reminder of the mission he hadn’t completed.
By the afternoon, Jaehwon was starting to feel uneasy. The screen wouldn’t leave him alone, and the looming threat of a penalty was beginning to weigh on him. What if there really was a consequence for not finishing the mission? He had no idea what to expect.
“Maybe it’s just a minor penalty, like losing a few stat points or something,” Jaehwon muttered, trying to reassure himself. “Yeah, that’s probably it.”
He spent the rest of the day doing everything except the mission. He lounged around the hospital room, flicked through the channels on the TV, and even took a long nap. All the while, the timer continued its relentless countdown.
Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the room was bathed in twilight, the timer reached zero.
**Time Left: 00:00**
Jaehwon’s heart skipped a beat as the screen flashed red, displaying a single word in bold letters:
**Penalty Activated.**
Before he could react, the world around him seemed to twist and warp. The hospital room dissolved into darkness, and a cold wind swept over him, carrying with it the scent of dry, arid air.
“What the—?!” Jaehwon shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the void.
In an instant, he was no longer in the hospital. He found himself standing in the middle of a vast, barren desert, the ground beneath his feet cracked and dry. The sky above was a relentless expanse of scorching blue, and the sun blazed down with an intensity that made him squint.
“This… this can’t be happening,” Jaehwon stammered, spinning around in a panic. There was nothing but sand and rock in every direction, no sign of life, no sign of escape. “Where am I?!”
The screen appeared before him once more, and this time it was accompanied by a chilling message:
---
**Penalty: Survive the Desert for 24 Hours**  
**Objective: Avoid the Sandstorm Beast**  
**Failure to survive will result in termination.**
---
Jaehwon’s blood ran cold as he read the words. “T-termination?!” he choked out, his heart racing. “This is insane! How am I supposed to survive out here?!”
As if in response, the ground beneath him trembled, and a distant rumble echoed through the air. Jaehwon’s eyes widened in horror as he saw a massive cloud of dust rising on the horizon, moving toward him at an alarming speed.
“Is that… a sandstorm?” Jaehwon whispered, his voice trembling.
But as the dust cloud grew closer, he realized that it wasn’t just a storm. Within the swirling sands, he could make out the shape of something massive—something alive.
“No, no, no, no!” Jaehwon screamed, turning on his heel and sprinting in the opposite direction. His feet pounded against the scorching sand, his lungs burning with each breath. But no matter how fast he ran, the creature was faster.
The beast’s roar filled the air, a sound so deep and powerful that it shook the very earth. Jaehwon risked a glance over his shoulder and saw it—a towering creature made of sand and stone, its eyes glowing with an eerie, malevolent light. It moved with terrifying speed, its massive form tearing through the desert as if it were nothing.
“I’m going to die! I’m really going to die!” Jaehwon cried, his voice cracking with fear. He pushed himself harder, his muscles screaming in protest, but he knew he couldn’t outrun the beast.
The sandstorm beast was closing in, its roars growing louder, more deafening. Jaehwon’s legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto the burning sand, gasping for breath. He could feel the creature’s hot, acrid breath on the back of his neck as it loomed over him, ready to strike.
“This… can’t be the end,” Jaehwon whispered, tears streaming down his face. “I… I don’t want to die…”
Just as the beast lunged at him, the world around Jaehwon flickered, and everything went black.
---
Jaehwon awoke with a jolt, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. He was back in the hospital room, the familiar surroundings a stark contrast to the terror he had just experienced.
The glowing screen hovered in front of him, its message now different:
---
**Penalty Completed.**  
**Warning: Future penalties may result in permanent consequences.**
---
Jaehwon stared at the screen, his heart still racing from the ordeal. His body trembled as he recalled the feeling of the beast’s breath on his neck, the weight of the desert’s heat pressing down on him. It had felt so real—
too real.
“This… this is no joke,” Jaehwon whispered, his voice hoarse. “That was… I was really there. I could’ve died.”
He sat up in bed, clutching the sheets tightly in his fists. The reality of his situation crashed down on him like a tidal wave, and he realized that whatever this system was, it wasn’t something he could ignore or take lightly.
Jaehwon took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I can’t just sit around and hope it’ll go away,” he muttered, determination hardening in his chest. “If I’m going to survive this… if I’m going to figure out what’s happening to me… I need to start taking this seriously.”
He stared at the screen, his resolve solidifying. The daily mission still loomed, but now it carried a weight that it hadn’t before. He knew now that the penalties were real—and they were deadly.
Jaehwon swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, his muscles still aching but his mind focused. “Alright… 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run,” he recited, his voice firm. “Let’s see what I’m really made of.”
As he dropped to the floor to begin his push-ups, the screen faded away, leaving Jaehwon alone with his thoughts and the challenge ahead. The shadows of the past still lingered, but for the first time, Jaehwon felt a spark of something he hadn’t felt in a long time—hope.
Maybe, just maybe, this was his chance to become something more than the weakest hunter in the world. But to seize that chance, he would have to face the darkness head-on, no matter how terrifying it might be.