The Forsaken Awakening

Inside the Tower of the Forgotten – Floor 3

Jinhyuk stepped through the portal, expecting another battle.

Instead—

He found himself standing in a massive, candlelit chamber.

The walls were lined with ancient bookshelves, stretching endlessly into the darkness above. The air smelled of old parchment, wax, and something faintly metallic.

It felt… different.

[ Welcome to the Third Floor. ]

The Guide's voice echoed through the chamber, though he was nowhere to be seen.

"Unlike the previous trials, this floor does not require combat."

Jinhyuk's brow furrowed.

"Then what's the test?"

A system message appeared.

---

[ Trial of the Third Floor: Knowledge of the Forgotten ]

Objective: Uncover the hidden truth buried within the Tower's records.

Failure Condition: Attempting to leave without solving the puzzle.

---

Jinhyuk clicked his tongue.

"A puzzle?"

This was the first time the Tower threw something at him that didn't involve monsters trying to tear him apart.

But that didn't mean it was any less dangerous.

His eyes scanned the chamber.

Books and scrolls lined every shelf, some covered in thick dust, others glowing faintly with unknown magic.

In the center of the room sat a large stone pedestal, with an open book resting on top.

Jinhyuk approached, eyes narrowing as he read the ancient script.

---

"Before the Gates, before the Hunters, the Forgotten One ruled the endless void."

"Their servants walked between worlds, binding what should not be bound."

"But something went wrong. Something shattered reality itself."

"And now, the Tower remains… a monument to their failure."

---

Jinhyuk's pulse quickened.

"This is talking about the origin of Gates."

This was exactly what humanity had been trying to figure out for decades.

What caused the Gates to appear? Where did the monsters come from? Who or what was responsible?

And this book—it had answers.

Jinhyuk's fingers hovered over the pages, flipping to the next section—

Then, the candles flickered.

A low growl rumbled behind him.

Jinhyuk's breath hitched.

He turned, daggers already in hand.

And there, emerging from the darkness between the bookshelves—

Was a creature straight out of a nightmare.

---

The First Western Monster – A True Horror

A hulking figure stepped forward, its movements eerily smooth for its size.

A massive, hound-like beast, covered in pitch-black fur, its red eyes glowing like embers.

Its jaws stretched too wide, exposing rows of jagged, rotting fangs.

A system message flashed.

---

[ Monster Identified: Hellhound (B-Rank) ]

A beast from the depths, drawn to those who seek forbidden knowledge.

Highly resistant to physical damage.

Weakness: Holy and light-based magic.

---

Jinhyuk grimaced.

"Of course, it had to be a B-Rank monster."

The Hellhound's claws scraped against the stone, its massive frame tensing.

Then—

It pounced.

BOOM!

Jinhyuk barely rolled aside, dodging as the beast's claws tore through the ground where he had been standing.

The entire room trembled from the force.

"This thing's strong."

His daggers flashed forward, aiming for its neck—

But the Hellhound's fur was like armor. The blades barely pierced the surface.

Then—it retaliated.

A flaming breath attack erupted from its jaws.

Jinhyuk teleported backward using Shadow Blink, but the heat singed his side.

Pain shot through him.

"Tch. Direct attacks won't work."

Time to switch tactics.

---

Abyssal Domain – Shadows Against Hellfire

Jinhyuk activated his strongest ability.

[ Skill Activated: Abyssal Domain ]

The chamber darkened, shadows consuming the space.

The Hellhound snarled, its eyes darting around as the battlefield shifted.

Jinhyuk vanished into the darkness.

Then—he struck.

A shadow spear tore into its underbelly.

The beast howled, staggering for a brief moment.

Jinhyuk didn't let up.

His shadows wrapped around the beast's legs, locking it in place.

Then—he went for the kill.

A giant shadow spike formed above the Hellhound.

And with a flick of his wrist—

It pierced through its skull.

The Hellhound let out one final, ear-piercing wail.

Then, its body crumbled into black dust.

---

Level Up!

[ You Have Leveled Up! ]

[ Level 23 → Level 24 ]

---

Jinhyuk exhaled, feeling the surge of power from leveling up.

His mana capacity increased, his body feeling stronger, sharper.

But he didn't have time to celebrate.

Because the Guide's voice returned.

"Impressive, Challenger. But this was only a warning."

Jinhyuk frowned.

"A warning?"

The Guide's silver eyes gleamed as he stepped forward.

"The higher you climb, the more beings beyond your understanding will take notice."

"You are no longer just a hunter, Jinhyuk."

"You are an anomaly."

Jinhyuk's stomach twisted.

This wasn't just about power anymore.

Something bigger was happening.

And he needed to find out what it was—before it was too late.

Taking one last glance at the ancient book, he stepped toward the next floor.

No hesitation.

No turning back.

Only forward.