NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Shadows In The City
Chapter 3: Shadows in the City
The body lay still, blood pooling beneath the enforcer's lifeless form. I stared down at him, my mind eerily calm. No pulse. No movement. No resistance.
I had just killed a man.
And yet, there was no panic, no sickness, no overwhelming wave of guilt. Just... silence.
Was this really me? Had I always been this detached, or had this transformation stripped away what little humanity I had left?
[Target Eliminated.]
[Trial Complete.]
[You have leveled up.]
That strange warmth flooded me again—intangible, but unmistakably real. My power was growing. I felt it.
[New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Strike.]
I focused on the ability, and in response, knowledge poured into me. Shadow Strike allowed me to launch a precision attack from the darkness, striking with unnatural speed and force. Unlike my last attack, this wasn't just a stab—it was designed to kill instantly.
The realization settled in. This system, this body—it was designed for one thing. Assassination.
A sharp whisper brushed against my mind, pulling my attention back to the system.
[Initiate Phase Complete. You are now bound to the Assassin's Cycle.]
[Directives Unlocked.]
[New Contract Available.]
I frowned—or at least, I thought I did. My face didn't exist in the same way anymore, but the instinct remained.
Contract? Bound? What did that mean?
The air around me seemed to shift, the shadows growing deeper. My surroundings became clearer now—stone walls, damp alleyways, and the distant glow of lanterns from a city beyond. I was in a slum district, somewhere lawless enough that a murder like this wouldn't send the guards rushing.
Then I felt it—another presence.
A soft shuffle, the barest trace of movement. Someone was watching me.
I turned sharply, melting into the shadows on instinct. My form dissolved, blending seamlessly with the darkness.
Then, she stepped into view.
A woman.
Tall, graceful, draped in a flowing black cloak with silver embroidery. Her hood was pushed back just enough to reveal piercing violet eyes, sharp and calculating. Her expression held no fear, only curiosity—like a hunter studying a newly discovered predator.
''You're sloppy'' she said, her voice smooth yet edged with amusement. ''Leaving a corpse in the open like this? Tsk. Either you're inexperienced, or you don't care about being hunted.''
I didn't respond. Instead, I watched her carefully. If she had seen me, it meant she knew what to look for.
She knew what I was.
She tilted her head slightly, her fingers brushing the hilt of a hidden blade at her waist. ''You're not just some rogue assassin, are you?'' Her eyes narrowed. No... You're something else entirely.''
Silence stretched between us. I remained hidden, my body fused with the shadows. Yet, she didn't look unnerved.
Then, she smiled.
''Ah...see.'' Her voice lowered, like she had just unraveled a riddle. ''A Shadowborn. I thought they were just a myth.''
My mind raced. Shadowborn. She had said it like it was something rare. Something dangerous.
I stepped forward, emerging from the darkness, testing her reaction. She didn't flinch.
''Who are you?'' I finally asked. My voice was different now—cold, distant, more a whisper than speech.
The woman smirked. ''You first, shadow-killer.''
I didn't answer. I wasn't sure I even had a name anymore.
She sighed. ''Fine. I'll go first. My name is Selene.''
Selene.
Not much to go on, but she was clearly someone important.
Her gaze flicked to the enforcer's corpse. ''Was he your first?'' she asked, her tone light, but there was an undertone of sharpness.
I didn't answer.
She studied me for a moment before shaking her head. ''You don't hesitate. That's good. Hesitation gets people like us killed.''
''People like us?'' I repeated.
Selene smiled again. ''Assassins. Killers. You might be something more, but at the end of the day, your purpose is the same. You take lives.''
She stepped closer. ''And I could use someone like you.''
I tensed. ''What do you want?''
She chuckled. ''The real question is: What do you want?''
Before I could answer, the system interrupted.
[New Contract Available.]
A list of choices unfolded in my mind.
[New Contract Options]
1. Eliminate a Corrupt Noble - Target: Lord Drenmar, a noble known for human trafficking and bribery. Reward: Advanced Shadow Skill. Risk: High.
2. Infiltrate a Guild Stronghold - Objective: Steal classified information from the Crimson Fang Thieve' Guild. Reward: Shadow Cloak (Grants temporary invisibility). Risk: Moderate.
3. Eliminate a Rival Assassin - Target: A high-ranking assassin within the Midnight Veil, a deadly guild of killers. Reward: Shadow Dagger (A weapon bound to the assassin's soul). Risk: Extreme.
Selene's voice pulled me back. ''Let me guess—the system is giving you options?''
I stared at her. ''You know about the system?''
She smirked. ''Like I said, Shadowborn are supposed to be a myth. But the whispers in the underworld say otherwise. I know enough to guess how you work.''
She glanced at the dead enforcer. ''You're being tested. The system won't let you rest. So, what's your choice?''
I studied the contracts. Each was dangerous. Each would push me further into this path.
But there was no turning back.
I was a Shadowborn now.
A killer bound to the darkness.
END OF CHAPTER 3