Jin Tae-woo adjusted the sleeves of his jacket, glancing at his reflection in the mirror near the door. His face was still a bit pale, and his body was still sore in places, but at least he looked like he was recovering.

Today was the day he would head to the Examination Center to see if his Class had evolved.

His fingers twitched slightly at the thought. Would it have changed? Could it have changed?

Trainee was a Class known for never amounting to anything. Theoretically, it could evolve with enough training and time, but the required resources made it practically useless. No one had ever seen a Trainee evolve into something worthwhile.

But he had fallen into an Abyssal Gate.

Surely, if anything could force an evolution, it would be that.

Tae-woo exhaled and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. Before heading out, he wanted to see how bad the internet discourse had gotten.

He had expected people to talk about him. An F-Rank Hunter falling into an Abyssal Gate and surviving was unheard of. But he hadn't expected it to become this big of a deal.

Opening Xitter, he scrolled through the top trending posts under his name.

@AegisHunter_Official: "An F-Rank surviving an Abyssal Gate?? LMAO, dude probably got carried out unconscious. What a waste of a rescue mission."

@HeavenlySwordGamer: "Jin Tae-woo? Never heard of him before. Checked his records. Bro's been F-Rank for YEARS. How is someone that weak still doing raids? lmao"

@DungeonInsiderNews: "Controversy: Some Hunters are questioning the decision to send S-Ranks into the Abyssal Gate to rescue a low-level Hunter. Was it truly worth the risk?"

@BeastKingOfficial: "F-rank hunter gets rescued by S-ranks. Meanwhile, real fighters are dying every day in dungeons. What a joke."

Tae-woo let out a slow breath and kept scrolling.

The mockery was expected.

People loved to tear others down when they could. Hunters were seen as warriors, symbols of strength, and yet he had become famous for being weak.

He switched over to MooTube, where videos about him were already racking up millions of views.

"F-Rank Falls into Abyssal Gate and Lives! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"Jin Tae-woo: The Weakest Hunter to Ever Survive the Abyss"

"Did Cha Min-soo See Something in the Abyss?"

Even Instareel had clips of his face floating around, either taken from old Hunter records or grainy footage of his hospital departure. Some were memeing him. Others were dissecting whether he was worth saving.

Tae-woo sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

It wasn't like he had asked to be rescued.

If anything, he had wanted to avoid dragging others down with him.

Still, at least it hadn't escalated into harassment or real-world threats. No reporters had swarmed his apartment, no anonymous calls or messages had appeared to torment him.

And he had Han Seo-yeon to thank for that.

As one of Korea's most beloved S-Rank Hunters, Seo-yeon had an influence on how the media treated things. Whether she had pulled strings behind the scenes or simply issued an unspoken warning, no one dared go after him or Ha-rin directly.

He felt bad that she had to use her status to protect him.

But he was also grateful.

He closed his phone and exhaled.

He had more important things to focus on.

Tae-woo reached for his jacket and froze.

That feeling was back.

A deep, gnawing hunger.

Not the kind that came after skipping a meal. Not the light, manageable hunger that could be ignored for a while.

This was something else.

Something deeper.

He had been eating normally since waking up, but no matter how much he consumed, the feeling never entirely went away. Even after a full-course meal, there was still an empty, lingering ache in his stomach.

It wasn't painful. It wasn't unbearable.

But it was unnerving.

Tae-woo placed a hand on his stomach, frowning slightly.

Maybe it was just his body recovering. Maybe after everything that had happened, he needed more nutrients than usual.

Or maybe…

He shook his head. No. He wasn't going to dwell on it.

For now, he had one priority.

Find out if the Abyssal Gate had changed him.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his jacket and stepped out the door.

----------------------------------------

The streets of Seoul were as lively as ever. Pedestrians moved in clusters, cars lined the roads, and digital billboards flickered above, flashing advertisements for the latest Hunter gear, dungeon raid broadcasts, and news updates about the Abyssal Gate incident.

Jin Tae-woo walked among the crowd, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets, his thoughts occupied with the upcoming examination.

If his Class had evolved, what would it be?

Would it be something usable? Something strong? Or was he just fooling himself, thinking that his near-death experience had changed anything at all?

He sighed. He wouldn't know until he reached the Examination Center.

As he crossed a busy intersection, a scream cut through the air.

"Stop them! My bag!"

Tae-woo turned his head just in time to see two men on a motorcycle speeding down the street, one of them clutching a woman's handbag. The woman, clearly shaken, stood frozen on the sidewalk, her hands outstretched in shock.

A purse snatching.

It was nothing unusual.

Tae-woo had seen incidents like this before, but in a city filled with Hunters, petty criminals rarely got away with their crimes.

As expected, someone was already moving.

Tae-woo watched as a Hunter rushed forward, cutting across the crowd.

His perspective shifted.

Suddenly, he saw the world through the Hunter's eyes.

A flicker of movement. A hand shot out, fingers gripping the strap of the stolen handbag.

The momentum sent both snatchers sprawling onto the pavement, their motorcycle skidding to the side.

The world snapped back to normal.

Tae-woo blinked.

He wasn't looking at a Hunter.

He was looking at himself.

The handbag was in his hands.

The two snatchers groaned on the ground, dazed from the impact, their stolen goods already out of their reach. People around them gasped, some even pulling out their phones to record.

Tae-woo stood there, utterly dumbfounded.

He had moved.

He had stopped them.

But he hadn't even consciously decided to act. His body had simply reacted as if it had known exactly where to move, exactly when to grab, exactly how much force to use.

And he had done it so fast that he hadn't even registered it happening.

He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers.

His breathing was steady; his pulse wasn't racing.

It hadn't even felt difficult.

It was effortless.

Tae-woo's stomach twisted with a mixture of shock and realization.

This wasn't normal.

He had been an F-Rank Hunter his entire life. His body had been sluggish, his movements barely above average. There was no way he should have been able to stop two thieves on a moving motorcycle.

His mind raced.

His Class.

Had it truly evolved? Had his stats increased without him realizing it?

Tae-woo swallowed, stepping back as a few bystanders clapped and murmured about what had just happened. The woman who had her handbag stolen hurried forward, bowing deeply in gratitude.

"Thank you so much! That was amazing! Are you a Hunter?"

Tae-woo barely processed her words. He just nodded stiffly, handing her the bag before quickly stepping away from the gathering crowd.

He needed to get to the Examination Center.

Now.

----------------------------------------

The Azure Sky Guild Headquarters stood tall in the heart of Seoul, a sleek high-rise with reflective blue glass that shimmered like a mirage against the city skyline. Inside, the top floors were reserved for the guild's elite members, and at the highest level sat the Guildmaster's office.

Cha Min-soo leaned back in his chair, flipping through several documents, the usual bureaucratic nonsense that came with running one of Korea's Six Great Guilds. Guild operations, dungeon clearances, financial reports, resource management, it was a never-ending cycle of paperwork.

Across from him, seated on a black leather couch, was Park Eun-ha, his deputy and the Vice-Guildmaster of Azure Sky.

Unlike Min-soo, who had his sleeves rolled up and tie loosened in casual exhaustion, Eun-ha was immaculate as always.

She was younger than Min-soo, in her late twenties, with shoulder-length dark violet hair that framed her sharp, analytical features. Her eyes, a cool shade of slate gray, held an intensity that made it seem like she was always assessing everything in the room, calculating possibilities in silence.

She wore a fitted dark outfit, professional yet unrestrictive, paired with a silver brooch shaped like a star, which was the only accessory that stood out against her otherwise minimalistic appearance. Though her attire was simple, it did little to hide her enviable figure, something that was often a subject of admiration and envy among others.

Her slender waist, generous curves, and long, toned legs gave her a natural elegance that drew attention whether she wanted it or not. Even seated, the way she crossed her legs effortlessly highlighted the subtle power in her movements. Her thighs, firm yet shapely, were something many had taken notice of, though no one dared to comment aloud. She carried herself with a poise that was both graceful and commanding, never giving the impression of being anything less than completely in control.

Park Eun-ha rarely spoke unless necessary. Among the guild's elite, she was known for her brilliance in magic, her ruthless efficiency in battle, and her ability to command respect without ever raising her voice. She wasn't the type to engage in unnecessary conversation. Instead, she observed, listened, and spoke only when her words carried weight.

However, after a while, she finally broke the silence, her voice smooth and steady.

"You never answered my question, Guildmaster," she said, her gaze not leaving the document in her hands. "Why did you save Jin Tae-woo?"

Min-soo sighed, setting his pen down.

For a moment, he hesitated, but then he answered.

"In this country, only eight individuals have entered the Abyssal Gate and returned alive," Min-soo began, his fingers interlacing as he leaned forward. His voice was measured, carrying a weight that made the room feel smaller as if the very air thickened around them. "That number should be ten now if we count Jin Tae-woo-nim and Han Seo-yeon-nim from last week."

He let his words settle, watching for any reaction from Eun-ha. As expected, she remained impassive, her slate-gray eyes focused but unreadable. She was a listener, not one to jump to conclusions without first examining every piece of the puzzle.

"I am one of those ten survivors. And though I can't say for certain how the others feel, I know this. None of us came back the same."

He leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. "So far, none of us have shared our experiences publicly. That alone should tell you something."

He studied Eun-ha, gauging her reaction, but as always, her expression remained unreadable.

"But that does not mean there isn't a record."

A flicker of interest passed through Eun-ha's sharp eyes, but she didn't interrupt. She simply listened, waiting for him to elaborate.

Min-soo adjusted his posture, lacing his fingers together as he continued.

"The Guildmasters of Korea's Six Great Guilds have been collaborating behind closed doors, pooling together our findings and observations from the Abyssal Gates. We have each gone in at different times, with different teams, and each time, we have returned with fragmented pieces of the truth."

He let out a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"What we've gathered is… unsettling. And for now, we have no intention of making it public."

Eun-ha remained still before she asked.

"Because the civilians would panic if they knew?"

Min-soo let out a quiet chuckle, but there was no humor in it.

"That's one reason, yes. But not the only one."

His expression darkened slightly, the weight of his memories pressing against him like an unseen force. He had never been one to show hesitation, but even now, speaking of the Abyssal Gate felt wrong, as if something was listening.

"The things we encountered in there…" He trailed off for a moment before his fingers tightened slightly. "They are not something the human mind is meant to comprehend."

The room grew colder, though neither of them acknowledged it.

Min-soo's voice lowered slightly as if admitting a secret that was never meant to be spoken.

"We have lost S-Rank Hunters in the Abyssal Gates. And not just to monsters."

That, finally, made Eun-ha's fingers twitch slightly against the documents she was holding. It was the smallest of reactions, but from someone as composed as her, it spoke volumes.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Min-soo leaned forward, his elbows resting on the polished wood of his desk.

"If anything, the monsters were the least of our problems."

His voice was quiet, but the weight of his words made it feel like the entire room had shrunk.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Eun-ha finally set her papers down, folding her hands neatly over them as she regarded him.

"If that's the case," she said, her voice steady. "Why did you support the rescue mission for Jin Tae-woo-nim? Why risk stepping into that place again?"

Min-soo let out a slow breath, his usual smirk flickering back into place, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Let's just say… I sympathized with Seo-yeon-nim at the time." He tilted his head slightly, his tone turning lighthearted. "Seeing her plead to save someone she cared about, only to be shouted down by the others… well, I suppose I just wanted to help her out of the goodness of my heart."

Eun-ha's gaze remained flat.

"You are a terrible liar, Guildmaster."

Min-soo let out a low chuckle, running a hand through his hair.

"Fine, fine. I suppose you'll just have to trust that I have my reasons."

Eun-ha sighed, shaking her head slightly before returning to her paperwork.

"I won't ask you anymore."

Min-soo studied her for a moment before a playful glint returned to his eyes.

"By the way, I believe we received a few fan letters for you this morning."

Eun-ha didn't even look up. "Throw them away."

"Not even one? You might find a special someone that way."

Without a word, Eun-ha lifted her hand slightly, and before Min-soo could react, his teacup instantly froze over, encased in a solid block of ice.

The edges of his desk frosted slightly from the residual mana.

Min-soo blinked down at his frozen tea, then up at her.

Eun-ha finally glanced at him, her expression calm. "Guildmaster, perhaps you should focus on your work if you want to finish by noon."

Min-soo let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head before reluctantly returning to his paperwork.

----------------------------------------

Jin Tae-woo moved quickly through the busy streets, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets. The city buzzed around him, a blend of flashing billboards, murmuring crowds, and the constant hum of traffic. It was an ordinary day for most, but for him, it wasn't.

His mind was fixated on his upcoming examination at the Hunter Association.

He needed answers.

The incident with the purse snatchers earlier had been proof enough. His body had moved on its own, reacting with a speed and precision he had never possessed before. He had stopped a moving motorcycle with nothing but raw instinct. That wasn't normal.

Something had changed.

The question was, how much?

He clenched his fist slightly, feeling the tension in his fingers. If his Class had evolved, then what had it become?

Before he could dwell on it any further, a voice called out from behind him.

"Hey, hey! Look who it is!"

Tae-woo's steps slowed. His shoulders stiffened. He knew that voice.

Reluctantly, he turned.

Five men stood in a loose group, blocking the sidewalk ahead. They were dressed in worn combat jackets, their weapons strapped casually to their backs. Their expressions were a mixture of amusement and mockery.

At the head of the group stood Kong Jae-sik.

C-Rank Hunter. Bleached-blond hair. A deep scar ran down his left cheek.

Tae-woo had known him for years.

Back when he was still struggling to get into raid groups, Jae-sik had been one of the many Hunters who had used him as an easy punching bag. As an F-Rank Trainee, he had been beneath everyone. Worthless.

And now, they were here again.

Jae-sik grinned, strolling up to Tae-woo with the kind of confidence that came from years of throwing his weight around. His eyes gleamed with something unpleasant.

"Damn, man, you've been getting a lot of attention lately," he said, clapping a heavy hand on Tae-woo's shoulder. "Didn't think you'd start ignoring your old pals now that you're famous."

Tae-woo resisted the urge to shake him off.

"I'm busy," he said, keeping his tone flat. "I have an appointment at the Examination Center."

Jae-sik's grin twitched.

"You?" he scoffed, his fingers digging slightly into Tae-woo's shoulder. "The Examination Center? You really think you got stronger?"

Tae-woo didn't respond. He didn't need to.

Jae-sik let out a sharp laugh and turned to his lackeys. "You guys hear that? Tae-woo here thinks he's leveled up! Our little Trainee thinks he's finally made something of himself!"

The others chuckled, but one of them hesitated before muttering, "Maybe we should leave him alone. You know how close he is with [The Saintess]. We don't wanna get on her bad side."

Jae-sik's smirk twitched.

Then, instead of backing off, his expression darkened.

"You really think she actually cares about him?" His voice dripped with contempt. "Come on, you think a woman like her really gives a damn about some weakling? Women like that, they're all the same. They act all noble, all righteous, but at the end of the day, they only care about one thing."

His grip on Tae-woo's shoulder tightened.

"They like the attention. That's all. You think she's some kind of saint? Please. She's just another fame-hungry bitch who figured out how to play the game. She acts like she's different, but she's just like every other woman in the business. Using her face, her body, and her pretty little words to keep everyone wrapped around her finger."

Jae-sik spat on the ground, his lip curling. "I've seen how these high-rank female Hunters act. They pretend to be so strong and so independent, but the moment things get tough? They hide behind the real Hunters. The men who do all the work. You think Seo-yeon's different? Nah. She's just got a good PR team. She struts around in her fancy gear, flashing that innocent little smile while all the real fighters are dying in dungeons. And people eat that shit up."

His voice grew more venomous.

"And don't even get me started on how they dress. Tight suits, 'battle dresses,' the stupid high-cut armor that doesn't even cover anything? Yeah, real practical. You ever wonder why they wear that crap? Because they know it keeps them in the spotlight. Because they want guys to drool over them. That's their real strategy. They play up the image and make guys think they're some kind of untouchable goddess, but at the end of the day, they just want the same thing as every other woman: power, money, and a man to clean up after their messes."

His sneer widened.

"And let's not forget the simps. The pathetic little fanboys who worship the ground they walk on. Guys who throw money at them, defend them online, act like they're some kind of holy figures. And for what? Because they smiled at them once? Because they think they have a chance? It's pathetic. And you? You're no different. She probably gives you a little attention, and now you're acting like you're something special. You think she actually cares about you?"

His laughter was cruel, his grip tightening further.

"She probably just keeps you around to make herself look good. A little charity project. A pet."

Something inside Tae-woo snapped.

His fist flew forward, and the moment it connected with Jae-sik's jaw, there was a sickening crack.

The force of the impact sent Jae-sik flying backward. His body slammed into the brick wall of the alley behind them before crumpling to the ground like a discarded rag doll.

Silence.

The other Hunters stood frozen in shock.

Jae-sik, a C-Rank Hunter, had been launched.

By Jin Tae-woo.

A man who, just a week ago, was so pathetically weak as a Hunter that he might as well just be a normal human, had just floored someone stronger than him with a single punch.

One of the lackeys took a step back.

"What the hell was that?"

"He… he just-!"

Another man turned pale.

"Screw this, I'm out!"

The rest quickly followed suit. Within seconds, the alley was empty except for Tae-woo and Jae-sik's unconscious body.

Tae-woo stood there, panting slightly, his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

That… wasn't normal.

Slowly, he looked down at his hand.

His knuckles tingled.

Something was there.

A cluster of crystals, deep purple, jagged, pulsing faintly with light, had emerged from beneath his skin, protruding from his knuckles like claws.

His breath hitched.

These crystals…

They looked just like the ones he had seen inside the Abyssal Gate.

His stomach clenched.

Then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, the crystals retracted, sinking back into his skin, leaving only the faintest residual glow before fading completely.

And then…

The hunger.

A deep, insatiable gnawing sensation curled in his stomach.

Not hunger for food.

Something else.

Something worse.

Tae-woo swallowed hard, clenching and unclenching his fist.

Whatever had happened to him in the Abyssal Gate…

It wasn't over.

----------------------------------------

Han Seo-yeon stood in front of her bedroom mirror, running a towel through her damp auburn hair. The faint hum of the air conditioning was the only sound in the room, the cool air brushing against her bare skin as she slowly dried the remaining moisture from her strands.

She should have been relaxed.

Dressed in a snug white tank top and short gray lounge shorts, she had finally managed to carve out a rare moment of peace for herself. No dungeon raids. No guild meetings. No reporters shoving microphones in her face. Just a quiet evening in her apartment, free from the weight of expectations.

And yet, she wasn't at peace.

Her fingers drifted away from her hair, hesitating as her gaze flickered toward her reflection.

Slowly, almost absently, her hand lifted to her shoulder.

She touched the spot lightly, fingertips brushing against the smooth, unblemished skin.

There was no scar. No wound. No sign that anything had ever happened.

But she remembered.

Seo-yeon's breath hitched slightly, her fingers pressing down as if trying to convince herself that it had been real.

Because she could still feel it.

The sharp bite of pain.

The crushing pressure of teeth sinking into her flesh.

The way her body had locked up, momentarily paralyzed from sheer shock as something feral and hungry tore into her.

She could still recall the hot, wet sensation of losing a part of herself.

The dull ache that had followed, pulsing in time with her heartbeat.

The sheer disbelief.

Even now, just remembering it sent a phantom pulse of pain through her shoulder.

She had almost blacked out from it.

But through the haze, she had seen him.

Jin Tae-woo.

But not Jin Tae-woo.

Not the childhood friend she had grown up with. Not the weak, struggling F-Rank Hunter who always tried to act like he wasn't suffering under the weight of his own limitations.

No, the thing that had turned its gaze on her in that moment had been something else entirely.

Seo-yeon shivered despite the warmth of the room.

It wasn't the Tae-woo she had known all these years.

It was a beast.

A predator.

His darkened eyes had locked onto her, unfocused yet intent.

Like she was nothing more than prey.

Like he was about to consume her.

Her fingers twitched slightly against her shoulder.

A flush spread across her cheeks.

It should have terrified her.

It had terrified her.

And yet…

Seo-yeon bit her lip, shifting uncomfortably as something coiled deep in her stomach.

She should only be remembering the pain. The shock. The fear.

But there was something else lingering in her mind.

The weight of his grip on her. The strength in his arms was unyielding and firm.

The way his breath had been hot against her skin right before his teeth sank in.

The sheer wildness of his expression; untamed, raw, hungry.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Her fingers flexed, and she quickly pulled her hand away from her shoulder, as if touching it any longer might burn her.

This was ridiculous.

It had been the Abyssal Gate. That place had done something to him. It wasn't him that had acted that way; it was whatever twisted force existed inside that dungeon.

It had nothing to do with her.

And yet…

Even as she tried to reason with herself, the memory refused to fade.

The sensation of being devoured.

The heat of his body against hers.

The sheer intensity in his eyes was so unlike the Tae-woo she knew.

Seo-yeon exhaled sharply, turning away from the mirror as if physically distancing herself from the thoughts creeping into her mind.

She needed to stop thinking about this.

She needed to stop feeling like this.

Her chest rose and fell with a slow, deliberate breath.

Clenching her fists, she grabbed her phone from the nearby dresser, hoping for a distraction.

But even as she scrolled through her messages, her mind continued to betray her.

Because no matter how much she tried to push the memory away, she couldn't erase how he had looked at her.