In the reflection of the mirror stood a young boy of sixteen, dressed entirely in black.
His hair, deep black and slightly tousled, framed his face with a casual yet deliberate style—an effortless look that hinted at quiet confidence.
His deep brown eyes shimmered with a restless energy, a mix of nerves and anticipation.
He looked every bit the young prince in black—sharp, mysterious, and just dangerous enough to make hearts flutter. Girls younger and older alike would no doubt be captivated by his presence.
"Hey, Niri" Taegyun said, glancing down at the little creature perched on his shoulder. "Do I look good in all black? Or should I change into something else?"
Niri, however, turned his head away with an unmistakable air of irritation.
The tiny fluffball was clearly still sulking after an hour of relentless running on his exercise wheel.
Taegyun rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Ugh, don't give me that crap, you little bastard."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair and pacing in front of the mirror.
"Well… I guess I'll just have to roll with this. Let's see what happens tonight."
A faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips, mixing uncertainty with a spark of daring.
***
An hour later, inside the elegant Célavue Restaurant.
Who am I? What am I? Where am I? What am I doing?... Taegyun Park's mind swirled with questions, doubt gnawing at him. His own existence, his purpose, his very nature—was this the right path? Yet, why was he here, at this moment, doing this?
Around him, the restaurant buzzed softly with life. The gentle hum of light laughter and hushed conversations floated through the spacious hall. Several adult couples sat at their tables, engaged in intimate dinners or quiet dates, their warm chatter blending seamlessly into the refined atmosphere.
From the ceiling hung a grand chandelier, its diamond-like crystals refracting warm light across the room, casting a golden glow that wrapped the space in luxury and comfort.
Seated across from him, Taegyun found himself lost in his swirling thoughts even as he exchanged words with Anna Prescott.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Anna asked gently, her deep black eyes studying him with concern. Her long, silky black hair framed her face perfectly, lending her an elegant and composed air.
"No, Miss Anna," Taegyun replied, shaking his head slowly as he chewed a small piece of tender meat. "It's just... I've never been to a luxury restaurant like this before."
"Oh..." Anna's expression softened, a faint worry flickering across her face as if questioning whether she had chosen the right place.
"I thought it would be wonderful to meet here. I'm sorry if it's too much."
"N-no, don't be sorry," Taegyun said quickly, a shy smile tugging at his lips. "I'm actually very happy. A beautiful lady like you inviting me here—it feels great. It's just... there are so many adult couples around."
Anna's cheeks flushed faintly as she muttered under her breath, 'Maybe we can be couples from today...' The shy smile deepened but she quickly looked away, embarrassed at the thought of her student in such a light.
Unaware of her quiet hope, Taegyun's gaze remained fixed on Anna. She wore a stunning long black dress that clung to her figure with grace and subtle allure, leaving him utterly awestruck by her beauty.
The velvet fabric of her dress shimmered subtly under the restaurant's soft lighting, absorbing the shadows and radiating pure elegance. The neckline dipped daringly in an off-shoulder curve, baring her delicate collarbones and the smooth expanse of her shoulders. Thin, detached sleeves draped gracefully from her arms, hugging them down to her wrists and leaving a tantalizing gap between sleeve and shoulder that teased the skin beneath.
At the hollow of her neck rested a delicate silver crescent moon pendant—small but impossible to ignore, its gentle curve catching the light like a sliver of night.
Taegyun's gaze then drifted to her full, luscious lips, a deep, inviting red that made a surge of desire rise within him—a sudden, urgent wish to press his own lips to hers, right here, right now.
'Calm down. Calm down.' He swallowed hard, forcing himself to rein in those racing thoughts. It was no easy task.
"Miss Anna, you look so beautiful tonight. Words cannot do justice to how stunning you are," he said, his voice soft but filled with genuine admiration, though he knew words were barely enough to praise her true beauty.
Anna's cheeks flushed a delicate pink at his compliment, her eyes sparkling with shy excitement. "Really? You think I'm beautiful?"
"Yes, Miss Anna. Absolutely."
"T-thank you, Taegyun. But please, just call me Anna. It's fine to say 'Miss' when we're in class, but when we're alone... please, just Anna."
'Eh? She wants me to call her by her name? Isn't this happening too fast?' He mused, surprised by her unexpected request. Yet, despite the fluttering in his chest, he found himself opening his mouth.
"Is it really okay if I call you by your name?"
"Yes..."
"Alright, A-Anna..." He cleared his throat nervously. "Then, I wanted to ask you something. It might be rude, but I hope you don't mind."
"Please, go ahead. I really don't mind, if it's you."
Taegyun's heart skipped a beat at her words. 'If it's me? Damn, she's definitely trying to hit on me.'
He took a deep breath, finally asking the question that had lingered in his mind ever since he first saw Anna, but he had never found the courage to voice it until now.
"Anna, do you have a boyfriend?"
"No, I don't," she answered immediately, without hesitation.
Her straightforwardness was clear—she was unreserved, letting Taegyun know that she was available, and perhaps, that he could be the one.
Now it was her turn to probe.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Taegyun shook his head, coming clean with his answer. "No, I don't have a girlfriend."
The truth was harsh. He had never had one. He was one of those bastards who gave off an unmistakable vibe of 'no bitch for me.' Girls never made any contact with him, as if he were a plague everyone feared to approach.
When Taegyun admitted he didn't have a girlfriend, Anna let out a quiet breath of relief—a subtle, almost imperceptible "thank God" expression washing over her face. Her eyes softened, and a small, satisfied smile curved her lips as if a weight had just lifted from her chest.
She did not fully understand why that feeling came so naturally to her, but one thing was crystal clear: she had fallen for Taegyun Park. Or maybe it was more accurate to say she was drawn to the perverted edge she sensed in him—the dark, mischievous side that made her blush in private and fueled the naughty dreams she had about him every night.
Unbeknownst to her, this simple conversation was about to mark the beginning of something far greater—a new love, yes, but also the opening of a door to adventures that would soon lead them both into entirely different worlds.
Meanwhile, Taegyun, lost in his thoughts, was certain of one thing: Anna harbored feelings for him—one or two things, at least. Naturally, he did not dislike her either. In fact, a wild, almost reckless idea had taken root in his mind—that of making this beautiful teacher, this woman who challenged and fascinated him, his girlfriend.
With this silent understanding passed between them, the two slipped effortlessly into a smooth, flowing conversation. Words danced easily back and forth, the atmosphere light but charged with the promise that maybe, just maybe, there was a real chance for something deeper between them.
***
Meanwhile, somewhere in the far western side of Exalor City...
A group of awakened hunters gathered around a massive gate. It was an S-rank gate, ominous and imposing.
Three swordsmen clad in armor of red and gold stood off to the side. Their armor was etched with thousands of tiny sword engravings, each glinting faintly under the dim light. Nearby, a female healer, wrapped in a gray robe embroidered with countless red swords, was deep in conversation with the trio.
These hunters belonged to the famed guild "Thousand Blood Sword." They were preparing for a dungeon raid, their minds racing with anticipation—wondering what kind of boss might appear, how fierce the monsters would be, and, of course, what precious loot awaited inside.
At the forefront of the colossal portal stood a female mage. She gripped a long staff topped with a massive purple crystal that pulsed faintly with magical energy. She was locked in discussion with a team from the Hunter Association, men dressed sharply in suits.
The Hunter Association was responsible for guarding all gates throughout the Androlis Sovereign Zone. They maintained the gates, conducted research, and assigned dungeon raids to various guilds.
Not far from the assembled hunters, two ordinary men stood conversing quietly. They were porters—tasked with carrying additional equipment for long raids or transporting loot after dungeon clears.
Though technically hunters, they were low-rank awakened, lacking the power to fight effectively or defend themselves in battle. Their role was grim and thankless, often met with low pay and little respect.
"Mike, do you think we'll make it out alive this time?" asked the chubby porter, wiping sweat from his brow.
Mike adjusted his round glasses and shrugged. "I don't know. What about you? Think we'll make it?"
The chubby porter grinned shamelessly, a smile so cocky it was almost laughable—like a street dog marking its territory. "Of course we will. It's just an S-rank gate. No need to freak out. You know how strong I get when push comes to shove, especially when I get serious."
Mike's face remained skeptical, doubt flickering in his eyes. But he said nothing. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and glanced at the screen. It was 7 p.m. He slipped the device back inside, the faint glow briefly illuminating the pocket.
He was calculating how long this dungeon raid might take. A full raid could last anywhere from fifteen hours to forty-eight hours, depending on the difficulty.
If the monsters or boss proved too strong for a small team, they would record intel—monster types, dungeon layout, boss details—and retreat within four hours. Later, a larger force of five or six special teams would return to raid properly.
A few hours later, deep inside the dungeon...
The air was thick with the sound of monstrous growls and screams, echoing through the cavernous halls.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Tens of thousands of monsters clashed violently with the hunters of the Thousand Blood Sword guild.
These creatures were a terrifying hybrid—humanoid forms with eagle wings and the heads of black panthers. They fought with ruthless savagery, a brutal swarm overwhelming the hunters.
The mage unleashed massive fireballs, incinerating scores of monsters, but for every one that fell, more surged forward relentlessly.
The three swordsmen fought fiercely, their blades slashing through the waves of beasts. But for every hundred monsters they killed with a single sweep, thousands more seemed to appear.
Never in their careers had they faced anything like this. Though they were no strangers to S-rank dungeons, the sheer number of monsters here was beyond belief—unheard of, even for the most hardened hunters.
Meanwhile, the two porters trembled uncontrollably, their faces pale with terror. They had already accepted their fate—survival seemed a distant hope.
Then, cutting through the chaos, a massive figure appeared.
A towering beast, at least five meters tall, strode forward with steady, deliberate steps. This monster was unlike any other in the horde. Two obsidian-black horns twisted from its head, its mouth filled with jagged, ferocious teeth. Four pairs of black wings extended from its back, each feather glistening with a dark sheen.
A monstrous aura radiated from it—dark, oppressive, and suffocating.
One of the swordsmen muttered in disbelief, "That aura... Is that a boss monster? How? Isn't it too early for one to appear?"
The horned beast inhaled deeply, drawing in air as bluish smoke-like magic gathered at its maw, swirling and coalescing into a massive orb of energy.
Instinctively, the lead swordsman shouted, "Raise your shields! Maria, summon a barrier—protect the healer and the porters! Now!"
He fell back, raising his shield and bracing for the impact. The other swordsmen followed suit, raising their own shields defensively.
Maria, the mage, wove her hands in complex patterns, and a shimmering barrier formed, encompassing herself, the healer, and the trembling porters.
Then, the orb blasted forward with a brilliant burst of white light. The explosion echoed through the dungeon like a bomb going off.
The hunters were thrown violently through the air, their bodies crashing against the stone walls with thunderous thuds. Groans and curses spilled from their lips as they collapsed onto the ground, pain surging through every limb.
"Shit... We're fucked," muttered one of the swordsmen, a blonde-haired man barely able to lift his head from the rubble.
Mike, the porter with the round glasses, let out a strangled scream, "No—no, no, no! I don't want to die here!"
Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth—no, spilled out in thin red streams. His left arm hung limply at his side, unnaturally bent in the wrong direction. His glasses were cracked, one lens completely shattered.
The blonde swordsman—Philip—gritted his teeth and slowly raised his head, his vision blurry but locked onto the monstrous figure approaching. The boss monster's four pairs of black wings fluttered ominously as it walked toward them in slow, arrogant strides, like a predator that had already claimed victory.
Its cold eyes scanned the scene and looked at the hunters as if they were nothing more than trash beneath its feet.
"You fucking monster..." Philip hissed through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare look down on us like that!"
With a growl of determination, he forced his battered body to rise. His hands gripped his sword, its edge digging slightly into the ground as he pulled it up. His breathing was ragged, but his fighting spirit still burned.
He glanced behind at his team—hunters groaning in pain, struggling to get up. The porter, the healer, except for the mage—all of them were in no shape to fight.
"I'll buy some time," he said, his voice rough but resolute. "Everyone—get the hell out of here while you still can!"
"What? No!" shouted the lead swordsman, the same one who had given the barrier command earlier. He staggered to his feet, sword trembling slightly in his grip. "There's no way in hell I'm leaving while my comrade fights alone. We escape together, or we die together!"
Suddenly, the monster roared—a deep, guttural sound that shook the dungeon walls. Its roar echoed like thunder, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling. It then picked up a boulder nearly half its size and hurled it at the group with terrifying strength.
"Thousand Blood Slice!"
Philip's eyes sharpened as he leapt into the air. His body blurred from the sudden speed as he channeled the guild's exclusive sword technique. In a flash, his blade danced—cutting, slashing, shredding.
The enormous boulder was reduced to dust in a matter of seconds.
A thousand slashes had been unleashed within moments. A technique nearly impossible for even top-tier awakened hunters to perform. But Philip did it with terrifying precision and monstrous speed.
But the monster was unfazed.
As Philip landed, the creature had already prepared another orb of swirling magic energy. It pulsed with blinding intensity—far more potent than the last one.
It hurled the energy sphere toward him.
Philip's eyes narrowed. "Again?" he muttered.
He raised his blade.
And then, with a roar of defiance, he slashed through the incoming orb mid-air—cutting straight through the condensed mass of energy. The orb exploded into fragments of blue light that scattered across the dungeon like dying stars.
But the impact still blew him backward, sending him sliding across the ground.
"Damn it..." he muttered, blood dripping from a fresh cut across his cheek. He planted his sword into the ground to stop his momentum.
The monster stepped forward again.
And Philip rose once more.
He turned his head toward the team leader, intending to say something—perhaps to encourage, or to beg so they can escape from the dungeon—but then his breath caught in his throat.
—Ssshhkkk!
His eyes widened.
The audience of monsters—those tens of thousands who had stood at a distance until now, watching the fight unfold like spectators at some twisted gladiator arena—had started to move.
No longer still.
They came forward.
From all sides.
Encircling them like a swarm of locusts.
The atmosphere thickened with dread as realization dawned. The monsters never intended to just let them leave. They were not prey allowed a chance to flee. They were cornered prey—trapped inside a dungeon that had turned into their execution ground.
Philip's fists clenched around his sword hilt.
He understood now. There is no escape.
Only one choice remained: fight to the very last second.
—Ssshhkkk!
"Guess we have no choice, guys," he muttered, exhaling shakily.
He turned to the team leader. Their eyes met. A grim nod passed between them—silent but understood.
No running.
Only war.
Philip then glanced at Maria. The corner of her mouth curved upward in a grim smile, and she nodded back firmly. Her eyes held no fear. Only steel.
They would go all out.
Together.
Their mission now was simple: destroy the boss monster… and survive for thirty more minutes until the dungeon gate closed. Once the boss was slain, a countdown would begin. At the end of that window, all non-native beings would be automatically ejected from the dungeon. Whether alive, half-dead, bleeding out—or even as cold corpses—if they lasted long enough, they would be pulled out.
Thirty minutes. That was the final timer between life and death.