The sky above Seoul rippled with dark energy as the cosmic tear overhead widened. Below, the bustling city had fallen into chaos. S-Rank Hunters scrambled to protect civilians, but the overwhelming power of the Outer God made even their most powerful abilities seem like feeble attempts to hold back an ocean. The air was thick with tension, and even those who had seen the worst of the Monarchs knew—this was something else.

Sung Jin-Woo, standing at the heart of the conflict, observed with cold precision. His shadow army clashed with the Outer God, the alien entity twisting and reshaping itself to evade their attacks. Igris and Bellion, his most trusted generals, stood by his side, ready to strike, but for now, they simply observed.

The god was slippery, its form warping in ways that defied physics, and yet Jin-Woo's expression remained calm. He had faced worse. Still, the presence of the god, and the others lurking beyond the tear, unsettled the balance. These were no Monarchs. The Outer Gods were beings from another plane of existence.

Below, S-Rank Hunter, Kang Tae-Oh, a muscular man known for his earth-shattering strength, slammed his fists into the ground, summoning a barrier of jagged stone to shield a group of terrified civilians. His breathing was labored, beads of sweat trickling down his face, as he strained to hold the barrier steady against the aftershocks of the titanic battle taking place overhead. "This is insane," he muttered under his breath. "What kind of monster are we even dealing with?"

"We need more time!" he shouted to another Hunter.

Nearby, Seo Yuna, her silver hair glowing faintly as she channeled her light shield, nodded grimly. "It's not just the god—it's the entire reality around it. It's like... it's warping everything."

Suddenly, the Outer God writhed, its tentacles stretching outward. Massive tendrils of dark energy reached toward the city, lashing out across vast distances, threatening to engulf everything in their path.

Jin-Woo's eyes flickered as he recognized the imminent danger to the civilians below. With a sharp command, his voice echoed through the shadows. "Beru!"

At once, the air seemed to hum with energy as Beru, the former Ant King, shot forward. His insectoid form moved faster than the eye could track, his wings buzzing as he streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning. In mere seconds, he had positioned himself between the city and the oncoming tendrils.

"Your command, my liege," Beru hissed, his voice sharp but unwavering. His multifaceted eyes scanned the massive appendages, and without hesitation, he extended his claws, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

The first tentacle struck, but Beru was already moving. His claws tore through the dark energy with ease, severing the appendage before it could reach the buildings below. "You dare threaten the master's domain?" Beru snarled, his voice full of disdain for the god. His wings buzzed with agitation as he slashed through another tentacle, leaving a trail of shredded aura in his wake.

Behind him, the ground erupted as ant soldiers, lesser shadows under his command, surged forward. Beru barked commands, directing them to shield civilians and block the path of the god's tendrils. "Protect the master's kingdom!" he ordered, his voice carrying authority as the ants formed a living wall between the city and the encroaching darkness.

For a moment, Kang Tae-Oh and Seo Yuna watched in stunned silence. Beru's speed and efficiency were unmatched. His insectoid frame darted from one tentacle to the next, slashing through the energy with surgical precision.

Seo Yuna's light shield flickered. "Is that... a shadow?" she whispered, awestruck.

Kang Tae-Oh, still holding his barrier steady, shook his head. "No... that's something more."

"It's useless..." one of the Hunters muttered, his hands trembling as he maintained a barrier. Sweat dripped down his face. "This is beyond us..."

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

The air around them vibrated with the sheer force of the battle above. Every clash, every movement of the shadows, sent shockwaves rippling through the atmosphere. The energy was so intense that the very fabric of reality seemed to tremble under its weight.

Jin-Woo, however, remained calm. He had seen enough. The Outer God was strong, its resilience impressive, but it wasn't invincible.

"Time to end this," he murmured.

From the swirling shadows at his feet, a figure began to rise. Towering, monstrous, and radiating an overwhelming aura, Antares, the Shadow Dragon Emperor, emerged from the darkness. His dark, armored scales shimmered ominously, reflecting the flickers of light from the cosmic tear. His eyes, burning with a malevolent fire, scanned the battlefield with disdain.

Antares' presence alone was enough to make the ground beneath him crack. Even now, as a shadow under Jin-Woo's control, the former Dragon Monarch exuded an air of absolute dominance—his arrogance and pride unshaken by his transformation.

"At last," Antares growled, his voice deep and thunderous. "I tire of these weaklings. Let me show you how a true monarch fights."

There was a moment of stunned silence, even among Jin-Woo's other shadows. Antares' presence was overwhelming, even compared to the likes of Bellion and Igris. His sheer power was palpable, a force that could only be matched by the gods themselves.

Antares' massive wings beat once, sending a shockwave through the air. His towering form rose into the sky, his dark armor gleaming. "These... insects..." He glanced down at the Ant Shadows shielding civilians, his voice dripping with disdain. "Even if I am a shadow, I remain on a level beyond their comprehension."

Antares surged toward the god, his dark flames burning brightly as he unleashed a torrent of destructive energy. The Outer God twisted and writhed, trying to evade the onslaught, but Antares was relentless. His claws slashed through the god's form, leaving deep, ragged tears in its body. The god screeched, its form destabilizing as Antares pressed the attack.

"Yes, squirm!" Antares mocked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Even if I am a shadow, I remain on a level beyond your comprehension."

He landed a decisive blow, his claws tearing through the god's core, causing it to ripple and writhe. For a moment, it seemed as though the god might collapse entirely under his assault.

But the Outer God wasn't finished yet.

It shifted its form, reforming around Antares's claws, trying to ensnare the Dragon Monarch in its mass. Dark tendrils of energy coiled around Antares, pulling him down, constricting his movements. The dragon growled, flames flickering from his mouth as he fought against the entity's hold. "You... dare?"

Jin-Woo watched the exchange with a cold, calculating gaze. Antares was strong, but this battle wasn't his to win. With a single step forward, Jin-Woo's presence shifted, his golden eyes narrowing as he addressed the Outer God.

"Enough." Jin-Woo's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding.

In an instant, Jin-Woo vanished from sight, his speed beyond comprehension. He appeared directly behind the Outer God, his twin daggers glinting with dark energy, the power of the Primordial Shadow pulsing through them. The god twisted, its tendrils flailing in an attempt to defend itself, but Jin-Woo's precision was absolute.

With a single, precise strike, he slashed through the god's core, severing the connection that held its form together. The Outer God screeched, its body flickering wildly as it struggled to reassemble. But Jin-Woo was relentless. His shadows surged forward, enveloping the god in a dark web of energy, trapping it in place.

"This is where it ends," Jin-Woo said, his voice cold and final.

With one final, devastating strike, Jin-Woo's blades cleaved through the god's very essence. The Outer God let out a final, desperate cry before its form disintegrated entirely, dissolving into nothingness. The sky above pulsed as the cosmic tear began to shrink, reality itself adjusting to the absence of the alien being.

The battlefield fell silent.

Antares descended slowly, his wings folding behind him as he landed with a heavy thud. His crimson eyes flickered with lingering irritation. "Weak, yet annoyingly persistent."

Jin-Woo stood still, his expression unreadable as he gazed at the spot where the Outer God had fallen. His golden eyes gleamed with dangerous intensity.

"That was the weakest of them," he murmured, his voice low but filled with a cold certainty. "The real threats are still waiting."

Bellion, who had remained by Jin-Woo's side, stepped forward, his deep voice resonating. "If that was their weakest, then we must prepare for the others, my liege. The true gods have yet to reveal themselves."

Jin-Woo nodded, his gaze fixed on the tear in the sky, which continued to shrink but hadn't fully closed. He could still feel them—the Outer Gods, watching from beyond, waiting for their moment to strike.

"Let them come," Jin-Woo said quietly, his eyes glowing with fierce determination. "I'll show them what it means to face a true monarch."

As the tear in the sky was sealing, Jin-Woo turned to his army. The Outer Gods had made their move, but he was ready for whatever came next. The Shadow Monarch's wrath had only just begun.

End of Chapter 2: The Shadow Monarch's Wrath