The Forsaken Awakening

"Chapter 37: The Thing Inside Seongjun

Black Wolf Syndicate HQ – Seongjun's Office

Jinhyuk stood up, his conversation with Seongjun concluded.

He was about to turn and leave when—

Something changed.

For a split second, he felt it.

A presence.

No—two.

Jinhyuk's breath hitched.

His eyes flickered back to Seongjun.

And that's when he saw it.

For just a moment—something else was there.

A shadow within Seongjun.

Not physically, but… inside him.

It was like watching two souls crammed into one body.

One was the Seongjun he had been talking to—calm, smug, playful.

But the other…

Jinhyuk's entire body screamed in alarm.

This other presence wasn't just strong.

It was wrong.

Just like the Forgotten One.

Just like the Servant.

But darker.

The aura that leaked out was pure, unfiltered murder.

A cold, overwhelming pressure seeped into the room.

For a fraction of a second, it felt like the air itself stopped moving.

Jinhyuk's instincts roared at him.

"If I react, I die."

So he forced himself to act natural.

He turned away, walking toward the exit without hesitation.

Seongjun said nothing.

But as Jinhyuk reached the door—

He swore he heard something.

A voice.

A whisper.

Not Seongjun's.

"Not yet."

Jinhyuk froze mid-step.

But he didn't turn around.

He forced himself to keep walking.

One step.

Then another.

Until he was out of the office.

Outside the HQ – The Pressure Remains

Jinhyuk walked through the syndicate's lobby, his movements steady.

The guards and staff watched him as he passed.

But his mind was somewhere else.

The moment he stepped outside the building—

His entire body shuddered.

He gasped for air, gripping his chest.

His usual calm, quiet demeanor shattered.

"What… the hell was that?"

He had never felt anything like it.

Not even from the Forgotten One.

Not even from the Servant.

This time, the pressure wasn't just powerful.

It was murderous.

Chilling.

It wasn't just stronger than him.

It felt like something that had devoured thousands before.

Like something that enjoyed it.

His fingers trembled slightly.

"What did I just see?"

"Was that really Seongjun… or something else?"

He forced his breathing to slow, trying to recenter himself.

---

Seoul – Jinhyuk's Apartment

Jinhyuk exhaled, rolling his shoulders after another long day of training. His body ached, his mana reserves were depleted, and every muscle screamed in protest. He had spent hours refining his shadow abilities, improving his speed, precision, and endurance in preparation for his next dungeon raid.

But despite all that—he still felt restless.

Even after leveling up rapidly in the Blood Library, he knew there were monsters far beyond his reach. The Servant of the Forgotten One had humiliated him, proving that raw stats and skills weren't enough. He needed something more.

He sat on his bed, stretching out his fingers before opening his system window out of habit.

A familiar blue screen appeared in front of him.

---

[ System Status – Jin Jinhyuk ]

[ Level: 23 ]

[ Next Level: 15/280 EXP ]

[ Skills & Abilities ]

Shadow Manipulation (B-Rank) – Harden and shape shadows into weapons or armor.

Abyssal Domain (B+ Rank) – Warps reality into a battlefield of shadows.

Shadow Blink (C+ Rank) – Short-range teleportation (7 meters).

Shadow Summoning (B-Rank) – Revives slain enemies as temporary shadow servants.

Shadow Reinforcement (Abyssal) (Passive, New!) – Enhances shadow abilities and strengthens physical defense.

---

His fingers hovered over his skill list.

He had grown a lot since his early days as a D-Class hunter, but…

"It's still not enough."

If someone like the Servant of the Forgotten came for him again, would he even stand a chance?

Jinhyuk sighed, closing his status window.

But just as he was about to relax—

His system screen glitched.

[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION! ]

Jinhyuk's eyes narrowed. What the—?

The screen flashed again.

---

[ Congratulations, Hunter Jin Jinhyuk! ]

You have met the unknown conditions required to access Special Dungeons.

[ New Feature Unlocked: Special Dungeons (Exclusive to You!) ]

---

Jinhyuk's body stiffened.

"What the hell?"

Special Dungeons? Exclusive to him?

This was completely outside the norm.

Dungeons were portals to other worlds, but why would he have access to something unique?

He quickly tapped on the new menu, scanning through the options.

---

[ Special Dungeons ]

Available Dungeons:

The Tower of the Forgotten – Unlocked

Other Dungeons – ???

[ Would you like to enter? ]

---

Jinhyuk's fingers tightened into a fist.

There was no question about it—this was connected to the Forgotten One.

"Why now? What changed?"

He glanced at his level. 23.

Maybe it was tied to his progress. Or maybe… the Forgotten One had been watching him.

A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

But if he was being given this opportunity, ignoring it wasn't an option.

Jinhyuk took a deep breath and clicked on the first dungeon.

---

[ Entering: The Tower of the Forgotten ]

A black portal swirled into existence—right in the middle of his apartment.

The sheer density of mana pouring out of it made his skin prickle.

"This is real."

Jinhyuk stood up, his heart pounding.

This wasn't like normal dungeons, where he had to travel to a Gate to enter.

This dungeon came to him.

His instincts screamed that this was dangerous.

That stepping inside could change everything.

And yet—

His feet moved forward.

He grabbed his daggers, secured his armor, and took one last deep breath.

Then, without hesitation—

He stepped into the unknown.

---

Inside the Tower – A World of Shadows

The moment Jinhyuk crossed the portal, his surroundings shifted.

The air became thick and heavy, filled with the scent of old stone and magic.

The sky above was a swirling void, neither dark nor light, as if existence itself was trapped in limbo.

And in front of him—

A massive obsidian tower stretched endlessly into the sky.

Its surface was covered in ancient runes, pulsing with a faint, ominous glow.

Jinhyuk swallowed.

"A… tower?"

He had expected a dungeon like the ones he had seen before. A labyrinth, ruins, maybe even a corrupted temple.

But this—

This was different.

[ Welcome, Challenger. ]

A deep, calm voice echoed through the air.

Jinhyuk snapped his gaze forward.

A figure stood before him.

---

The Dungeon Guide – A Servant of the Forgotten?

Jinhyuk's muscles tensed.

The figure was tall, clad in a flowing gray cloak, its face hidden beneath a dark hood.

Unlike the Servant of the Forgotten, this being lacked an oppressive presence.

But there was something… off about it.

As if it didn't belong to this world.

The figure bowed slightly.

"Welcome to the Tower of the Forgotten, Hunter Jin Jinhyuk."

Jinhyuk didn't lower his guard.

"Who are you?"

The figure raised its head slightly, revealing silver eyes that gleamed with unnatural light.

"I am the Guide of this Tower. My duty is to explain the rules, assist the challengers, and ensure order."

Jinhyuk frowned.

"Challengers? You mean I'm not the first?"

The Guide paused.

Then—it smiled.

"You are the only one alive."

Jinhyuk's breath hitched.

His grip on his daggers tightened.

"What is this place?"

The Guide gestured toward the tower.

"The Tower of the Forgotten is a trial. A path to greater power. Each of its 100 floors contains a different challenge. The lowest floors are weak, but as you climb higher, the difficulty will increase exponentially."

Jinhyuk's heart pounded.

A 100-floor dungeon?

He had never heard of anything like this.

"And what do I get if I reach the top?"

The Guide's smile deepened.

"The answer to what you seek."

Jinhyuk's mind raced.

The Forgotten One. The truth behind the Gates. The nature of his power.

Everything he didn't understand—

Could the answers be inside this Tower?

Jinhyuk exhaled sharply.

"What's the first challenge?"

The Guide raised its hand.

A massive stone door appeared behind it, leading into the Tower's entrance.

"Step inside, and you will find out."

Jinhyuk's lips curled into a small grin.

"Fine."

He cracked his knuckles, rolled his shoulders, and took a deep breath.

Then, with a confident stride—

He stepped forward.

And the first floor of the Tower awaited.