Jaehwon stood at the entrance of the dungeon, the dark, looming archway stretching high above him. The key had led him here, to a place shrouded in mystery and danger. He could feel the pull of the shadows, their whispers curling around him like tendrils of smoke. The vast expanse of the dungeon yawned before him, a gaping maw ready to swallow him whole. 
The weight of the bag slung over his shoulder was a constant reminder of what lay ahead. It was packed with survival equipment—water, food, a first-aid kit, a map, and some basic weapons. He had prepared as best he could, but there was still an edge of nervousness that gnawed at him.
“This is it,” Jaehwon muttered to himself, tightening the strap of his bag. His breath was visible in the cold air, and the damp, musty smell of the dungeon filled his nostrils. “No turning back now.”
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, his boots crunching on the gravel path that led into the dungeon’s depths. The walls were lined with jagged rocks, and shadows clung to every crevice, making it difficult to see far ahead. Jaehwon’s heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to focus. This was what he had trained for—the moment where he would prove his worth.
As he ventured deeper, the light from the entrance faded, leaving him in near-total darkness. He pulled out a flashlight from his bag, its beam slicing through the shadows, revealing the rough, uneven terrain ahead. The path twisted and turned, leading him further into the unknown.
After what felt like hours of walking, Jaehwon came to a wide, open chamber. The ceiling was so high that it disappeared into the darkness, and the walls were lined with strange, glowing moss that cast an eerie green light across the room. The air was thick with tension, and Jaehwon could feel his pulse quicken as he sensed something lurking just beyond the edge of the light.
Then, he heard it—a low, rumbling growl that echoed through the chamber. Jaehwon froze, his hand tightening around the hilt of the dagger strapped to his waist. The sound grew louder, closer, until it was all around him. He could feel the vibrations in the ground beneath his feet, and his breath caught in his throat as he realized what was coming.
Out of the shadows, they emerged. Wolves—at least thirty of them—surrounding him in a tight circle. Their eyes glowed with a feral intensity, and their fur bristled as they snarled, baring their sharp teeth. But these weren’t ordinary wolves. They were larger, more menacing, with muscles rippling under their dark, matted fur. Their breath was visible in the cold air, and Jaehwon could see the glint of saliva dripping from their fangs.
Jaehwon’s heart raced, but he forced himself to stay calm. He couldn’t afford to panic now, not with the wolves closing in. He reached for the sword strapped to his back—a sturdy blade he had purchased specifically for this mission. It was the first time he would use it in real combat, and the weight of it felt both comforting and daunting in his hand.
“Alright,” Jaehwon muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the growls of the wolves. “Let’s do this.”
With a swift movement, he drew the sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light. The wolves snarled louder, their eyes locked on him, waiting for the right moment to strike. Jaehwon took a deep breath, his senses sharpening as he prepared for the inevitable attack.
Then, with a deafening roar, the wolves charged.
Jaehwon reacted instinctively, his body moving on its own as he swung his sword in a wide arc. The blade sliced through the air, meeting the first wolf head-on. The impact jarred his arm, but he didn’t let it slow him down. He spun around, dodging another wolf that lunged at him from the side. The creature’s jaws snapped shut just inches from his face, and Jaehwon barely managed to deflect it with his sword.
The wolves were relentless, attacking from all sides with ferocious speed. Jaehwon fought with everything he had, his movements fueled by a mix of adrenaline and desperation. He slashed and parried, dodging and weaving between the wolves as they snapped at his heels. 
One wolf managed to sink its teeth into Jaehwon’s leg, and he cried out in pain as the sharp fangs pierced through his pants and into his flesh. Without hesitation, he drove his sword into the wolf’s side, forcing it to release him with a pained yelp. Blood oozed from the wound, but Jaehwon pushed the pain aside, focusing on the fight.
As he fought, Jaehwon’s mind raced, analyzing the wolves’ movements and patterns. They were coordinated, working together to wear him down, but there was something else—something more dangerous lurking in the shadows. 
Then he saw them: the Alpha Wolves. Ten of them, larger and more powerful than the others, their fur a darker shade of black. They stood back, watching the fight with a calculating gaze, waiting for the right moment to strike.
“Of course, there are Alphas,” Jaehwon muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his arms were beginning to tire from the constant swinging of his sword. But he couldn’t stop now—not when he was so close.
The Alpha Wolves moved as one, their powerful bodies cutting through the lesser wolves as they charged at Jaehwon. He barely had time to react as the first Alpha lunged at him, its massive jaws snapping inches from his face. Jaehwon twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the attack, and brought his sword down on the wolf’s back. The blade bit into flesh, but the wolf was unfazed, its sheer size and strength overpowering Jaehwon’s attack.
The other Alphas joined the fray, their howls filling the chamber with a deafening roar. Jaehwon fought desperately, but the Alphas were unlike anything he had faced before. Their strength was overwhelming, and every blow he landed seemed to barely faze them.
Jaehwon’s movements grew sluggish, his body pushed to its limits. The wound on his leg throbbed painfully, and he could feel the blood soaking through his pants. He was losing strength, and the wolves knew it. They pressed their attack, forcing him back towards the edge of the chamber.
“I… I can’t… let this end here,” Jaehwon gasped, his vision blurring as he struggled to stay on his feet. He could feel the darkness closing in, the shadows whispering in his mind. The power of the Shadow Authority pulsed within him, begging to be unleashed.
With a final, desperate cry, Jaehwon summoned every ounce of strength he had left and let the shadows take over.
Darkness erupted from within him, tendrils of shadow swirling around his body like a raging storm. The wolves recoiled, their snarls turning to whimpers as they were forced back by the sheer force of the dark energy. Jaehwon’s eyes glowed with an unnatural light as he channeled the Shadow Authority, his movements becoming faster, more precise.
He struck with a speed and power that he hadn’t known was possible, his sword moving like a blur as it sliced through the wolves with ease. The shadows danced around him, enhancing his every move, guiding his attacks. The Alphas, once so powerful and intimidating, were now struggling to keep up.
One by one, the wolves fell, their bodies dissolving into wisps of darkness as the Shadow Authority consumed them. Jaehwon felt the power growing within him, feeding off the fear and pain of his enemies. It was intoxicating, a rush of adrenaline that pushed him beyond his limits.
Finally, only one Alpha remained. It stood before Jaehwon, its once fierce eyes now filled with fear. Jaehwon raised his sword, the shadows swirling around the blade like a living entity.
“This… is the end,” Jaehwon said, his voice cold and unrecognizable even to himself. With a swift, final strike, he brought the sword down, and the last Alpha was consumed by the shadows.
The chamber fell silent, the air heavy with the scent of blood and darkness. Jaehwon stood in the center, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. The shadows slowly receded, sinking back into his body, leaving him standing alone in the dark.
He looked around at the carnage, the bodies of the wolves fading into the darkness, leaving no trace of the fierce battle that had just taken place. It was over. He had won.
But as the adrenaline faded, Jaehwon felt the weight of exhaustion settle over him. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, his sword clattering beside him. The wound on his leg throbbed painfully, and his entire body ached from the strain of the fight.
“I… I did it,” he whispered, his voice barely audible in the silence. But there was no joy in his words, only a deep, bone-weary exhaustion.
He reached into his bag, pulling out a small healing potion. With trembling hands, he uncorked it and drank it in one gulp. The cool liquid spread through his body, dulling the pain and closing the wound on his leg.
Jaehwon forced himself to sit up, leaning against a nearby rock as he tried to catch his breath. The battle had taken everything out of him, and he knew he needed to rest before he could continue. 
Jaehwon leaned back against the cold, jagged rock, his breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. The healing potion had done its job, closing the wound on his leg, but the ache in his muscles and the overwhelming fatigue refused to dissipate. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the silence of the dungeon to envelop him. It was a heavy, oppressive silence, punctuated only by the distant drip of water somewhere in the cavern.
He let out a long, shaky breath, feeling the tension slowly drain from his body. “I can’t believe I survived that…” he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper in the vast emptiness around him. The reality of what he had just faced started to sink in, and a shiver ran down his spine. Thirty wolves and ten Alpha Wolves—anyone else would have been torn to shreds. 
“What… what the hell was that power?” Jaehwon asked himself, glancing down at his hands, which were still trembling from the aftermath of the Shadow Authority. The dark energy that had surged through him during the fight—it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as if the shadows themselves had come alive, lending him strength far beyond his natural abilities.
He clenched his fists, remembering the rush of power, the way the shadows had moved with him, guiding his every strike. But with that power had come a darkness, a cold, terrifying presence that seemed to hunger for more. Jaehwon shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
“This isn’t the time to get lost in thought,” he muttered, pushing himself up to his feet with a grunt. The dungeon was far from safe, and the battle had only reminded him how dangerous it was to let his guard down. He needed to keep moving, find a place to rest where he wouldn’t be ambushed in his sleep.
He took a moment to look around the chamber, scanning the area for a suitable spot to set up camp. The glowing moss on the walls provided just enough light for him to see, casting eerie green shadows across the rough stone. He finally spotted a small alcove on the far side of the chamber, partially hidden by a large boulder.
“That’ll do,” Jaehwon said to himself, limping slightly as he made his way over to the alcove. It wasn’t much, but it would provide some shelter from whatever else might be lurking in the dungeon.
As he approached the alcove, Jaehwon heard a faint rustling sound, and he instinctively reached for his sword. He paused, listening carefully, but the sound didn’t repeat. His heart pounded in his chest, and he took a cautious step forward, his hand still on the hilt of his weapon.
“Come on, Jaehwon, don’t lose your nerve now,” he whispered to himself, trying to steady his breathing. He slowly stepped into the alcove, his eyes darting around for any sign of movement. To his relief, it was empty, just a small, narrow space where he could set up camp for the night.
He set his bag down and began to unpack his gear. His hands moved mechanically as he laid out his supplies—a bedroll, a small lantern, some dried food, and a flask of water. As he worked, his thoughts drifted back to the fight, replaying the moments when the Shadow Authority had taken over. 
“What is this power?” Jaehwon murmured, staring at the dark blade of his sword. “Why me?”
He wasn’t expecting an answer, but the silence of the dungeon was unsettling, almost as if the shadows themselves were listening. Jaehwon shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to dwell on it, not here, not when he needed to stay alert.
As he finished setting up his camp, Jaehwon sat down on the bedroll and leaned back against the rock wall. The exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him, and his eyelids felt heavy. But sleep wouldn’t come easily, not after everything that had happened.
He pulled out the map from his bag and unfolded it, studying the layout of the dungeon. The area he had just cleared was only the first of many chambers, and the map indicated that the further he went, the more dangerous the creatures would become.
“Great… just what I needed,” Jaehwon sighed, rubbing his temples. “And here I was thinking this would be a walk in the park.”
He traced a path on the map with his finger, marking his progress so far. There was still a long way to go before he reached the dungeon’s core, where the real prize awaited. The thought of the potential rewards was the only thing that kept him going, the hope that this dungeon held something that could change his life forever.
“I’ve come this far… I can’t turn back now,” Jaehwon said firmly, folding the map and tucking it away. “No matter what, I’ll get through this.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to relax despite the tension in his muscles. The silence of the dungeon pressed in around him, but he forced himself to ignore it. His body was screaming for rest, and he knew he needed to recover before facing whatever was next.
As he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, the shadows in the dungeon seemed to stir, their whispers growing louder in the darkness. And though he didn’t know it, Jaehwon was being watched—by something far more dangerous than the wolves he had just defeated.
---
Jaehwon’s dreams were filled with shadows, twisting and writhing like living things. He was running through the darkness, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but no matter how fast he ran, the shadows were always right behind him. Their whispers grew louder, more insistent, until they were all he could hear.
“You are the chosen one…”
Jaehwon jerked awake, his heart pounding in his chest. The shadows in the alcove seemed to shift, as if they were alive, and for a moment, he thought he saw a pair of glowing eyes staring back at him from the darkness. He blinked, and the eyes were gone, leaving only the cold, oppressive silence of the dungeon.
“Get a grip, Jaehwon,” he muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. “It’s just a dream… just a dream.”
But the unease lingered, and Jaehwon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He reached for his sword, feeling the comforting weight of it in his hand, and forced himself to stay calm.
“There’s no one here… it’s just me,” he whispered, as if trying to convince himself. But deep down, he knew that the dungeon was alive with dangers, and the shadows were the least of his worries.
Jaehwon took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. He couldn’t afford to lose focus now, not when he was so close to his goal. He needed to stay strong, stay sharp, and most importantly, stay alive.
He reached for the flask of water and took a long drink, the cool liquid soothing his dry throat. As he drank, he felt the shadows around him pulse with a strange energy, as if they were responding to his presence. It was an unsettling feeling, but Jaehwon pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
“I’ve come this far… I can’t stop now,” he said to himself, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at the edges of his mind. “I’ll make it through this… I have to.”
With renewed determination, Jaehwon stood up and began to pack up his camp. The dungeon still held many dangers, but he was ready to face them, no matter what. He slung his bag over his shoulder, his sword strapped to his back, and set out into the darkness once more.
The shadows followed him as he walked, their whispers growing louder with each step. But Jaehwon didn’t falter. He pressed on, deeper into the heart of the dungeon, where the true test awaited.
And as he walked, the shadows watched, waiting for the moment when Jaehwon would finally understand the true power of the Shadow Authority.
The darkness of the dungeon stretched out before him, endless and unforgiving. But Jaehwon wasn’t afraid—not anymore. He had faced the wolves, he had faced the shadows, and he had survived. 
And no matter what lay ahead, he would continue to survive. He was Jaehwon, the weakest hunter in the world—no more. He was the chosen one, the bearer of the Shadow Authority, and he would prove that to anyone who dared to stand in his way.
With a determined glint in his eye, Jaehwon tightened his grip on his sword and stepped forward into the unknown, ready to face whatever came next.