The Forsaken Awakening

Jinhyuk wiped the blood off his dagger and steadied his breathing. His limbs ached, his mind reeled, but he couldn't afford to show weakness—not here, not in front of them.

Seongjun stepped forward, his amber eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Not bad. You lasted longer than I expected."

Jinhyuk scoffed. "You expected me to die?"

Minji smirked from the sidelines. "Most do."

Jinhyuk stiffened. He glanced around the arena—dark stains on the ground, cracks in the stone walls, lingering mana traces.

How many had fought here before me? How many had failed?

Seongjun crossed his arms. "You passed the first test. Now comes the real one."

Jinhyuk narrowed his eyes. "Real one?"

Seongjun gestured, and another iron door creaked open.

This time, a person stepped out.

A man—tied, gagged, bruised. Blood dripped from his temple. His clothes were tattered, but Jinhyuk recognized the insignia on his armband.

A DHR officer?!

Jinhyuk turned to Seongjun, his voice low. "What the hell is this?"

Seongjun tilted his head. "A choice."

Minji sighed, brushing her hair back. "This man is a DHR informant. He sells out small-time hunters—people like you—to corrupt guilds."

Jinhyuk clenched his fists.

Seongjun stepped closer. "The DHR claims to regulate hunters, but what they really do is control, manipulate, and erase threats. This man? He's just one piece of that system."

Minji tossed a dagger at Jinhyuk's feet. "Kill him."

Silence.

Jinhyuk's heartbeat thundered. He looked at the bound man, then back at Seongjun and Minji.

They're testing me.

Not just his strength—but his loyalty. His resolve.

Jinhyuk bent down and picked up the dagger. Its edge gleamed under the dim light.

The DHR officer's eyes widened. He tried to scream, but the gag muffled his voice.

Jinhyuk took a slow breath.

Then—he flipped the dagger and drove it into the ground.

Seongjun raised an eyebrow.

Minji sighed. "Typical."

Jinhyuk met their gazes. "I don't kill people for free."

Minji rolled her eyes. "Ah, so you have a price?"

Jinhyuk ignored her. He turned to Seongjun. "You said the DHR manipulates hunters, right? Then information is more valuable than blood."

Seongjun studied him for a long moment.

Then—he laughed.

"A smart one. I like that."

He waved a hand, and two masked men appeared from the shadows, dragging the DHR officer away.

Jinhyuk exhaled, tension easing from his shoulders.

Minji sighed. "You're no fun."

Jinhyuk ignored her and turned to Seongjun. "So, do I pass?"

Seongjun's grin widened. "Welcome to the Black Wolf Syndicate, Jinhyuk."

---

Jinhyuk followed Seongjun and Minji through the dimly lit corridor beneath the Black Wolf Syndicate's headquarters. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and faint traces of blood—evidence of the countless battles that had taken place in this underground stronghold.

"So," Minji began, her voice echoing through the hallway. "What exactly do you want, Jinhyuk?"

Jinhyuk glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

Seongjun chuckled. "You don't strike me as the type to blindly join an underground syndicate. You're after something."

Jinhyuk didn't answer immediately. He wasn't sure how much he should reveal. But he also knew that secrecy wouldn't help him survive in this place.

"I need power," he admitted.

Minji smirked. "Everyone does."

Seongjun stopped in front of a reinforced door and placed his palm against a biometric scanner. A low beep sounded, and the locks clicked open.

As the door swung inward, Jinhyuk stepped into a massive underground chamber. Unlike the grim, battle-worn corridors outside, this place was filled with advanced technology—holographic displays, high-tech weaponry, and maps of active gates across South Korea.

They're more organized than I expected.

Dozens of hunters moved through the chamber, some sparring in designated areas, others analyzing data from dungeon raids.

Seongjun gestured around him. "This is the real Black Wolf Syndicate. We don't just fight in the shadows—we expose the truth the DHR wants to bury."

Jinhyuk crossed his arms. "And what exactly is that truth?"

Seongjun's expression darkened. "The DHR isn't just regulating hunters. They're controlling who gets stronger, who rises, and who disappears."

Minji leaned against a console. "Ever wondered why only certain hunters get access to higher-ranked gates? Or why some dungeons suddenly 'vanish' before hunters can even enter them?"

Jinhyuk stiffened. He had heard rumors—stories of hunters being blacklisted, of powerful monsters appearing in supposedly safe zones.

"So what? You want to take them down?" he asked.

Seongjun smirked. "Not yet. First, we gather proof. And to do that, we need someone like you."

Jinhyuk frowned. "Me?"

Minji grinned. "You're… unremarkable. A D-Class hunter with a weak body. No one would suspect you of working with us. You can go places we can't without drawing attention."

Jinhyuk clenched his fists. Unremarkable? He hated that word.

But they weren't wrong. If he wanted to grow stronger, if he wanted to uncover the truth behind the Forgotten and his new abilities—this might be his best chance.

Seongjun placed a black emblem in Jinhyuk's palm. It bore the symbol of a wolf's head, fangs bared.

"Welcome to the hunt, Jinhyuk."