The Forsaken Awakening

Inside the Tower of the Forgotten – Floor 1

Jinhyuk stepped through the massive stone door, and instantly, the world changed around him.

The towering obsidian structure behind him disappeared, replaced by an expansive coliseum-like arena made of dark stone. The sky above was an empty void, swirling with faint traces of violet mist.

The air was dense with mana, and despite the stillness, Jinhyuk could feel something… waiting.

[ Welcome to the First Floor. ]

The Guide's voice echoed across the arena, but Jinhyuk didn't see him anymore.

"The first trial will test your foundation. Only those with true combat instincts can proceed."

Jinhyuk's fingers instinctively tightened around his daggers.

"So, a warm-up fight?"

Then—

A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the arena.

Jinhyuk's body tensed.

The stone ground trembled, cracks forming as a massive iron gate on the far end of the coliseum creaked open.

From the darkness, something emerged.

A beast at least four meters tall, covered in bone-like armor, its glowing red eyes locked onto Jinhyuk.

A notification flashed.

---

[ Monster Identified: Bonecrusher Warhound (C+ Rank) ]

A brutal melee combatant.

Strong against physical attacks.

Weak to precise strikes targeting its joints and underbelly.

---

Jinhyuk exhaled.

"C+ Rank for the first floor? This Tower isn't playing around."

The Warhound snarled, saliva dripping from its fanged mouth.

Then—it charged.

BOOM!

Jinhyuk dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive claws that tore through the ground.

"Fast!"

The beast swung its tail, but Jinhyuk teleported backward using Shadow Blink.

WHAM!

The force of the tail strike shattered stone, sending debris flying.

Jinhyuk's mind worked fast.

"Physical attacks won't work? Fine. Let's try something else."

His shadows expanded, forming a dozen spears mid-air.

He launched them at the Warhound—

But the beast twisted its body unnaturally, dodging half while the others bounced off its armor.

Jinhyuk clicked his tongue.

"Tough bastard."

The Warhound rushed again, jaws snapping.

Jinhyuk activated Phantom Steps, boosting his speed as he weaved through the attacks.

Then—he saw it.

A small gap in the armor under its chest.

"There!"

With a burst of mana, he slid under the beast, his dagger flashing in an upward strike.

SHUNK!

The blade pierced deep.

The Warhound howled in agony, its body twisting violently.

Jinhyuk rolled away just in time as the beast collapsed, twitching before turning into fading particles of light.

---

[ Trial Complete. ]

[ EXP Gained: 60 ]

[ Proceed to the Second Floor? ]

---

Jinhyuk exhaled, standing up straight.

"That was just the first floor?"

He smirked, stretching his shoulders.

"This is going to be fun."

Without hesitation, he stepped toward the next trial.

---

Inside the Tower of the Forgotten – Floor 2

The moment Jinhyuk stepped through the portal, he felt the change immediately.

The arena-like coliseum of the first floor was gone.

Instead, he stood in a dense, fog-covered forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, the trees stretching unnaturally high into the swirling void above.

"A forest?"

Jinhyuk's fingers tensed around his daggers. This was different.

The first floor had been a direct combat challenge—a battle of brute force and skill. But this?

This was something else.

[ Welcome to the Second Floor. ]

The Guide's voice echoed through the mist.

"Here, you will face a different kind of trial. Strength alone will not be enough. Let's see how well you adapt, Challenger."

Jinhyuk's eyes narrowed.

"Adapt, huh? So, this is more than just fighting."

He took a step forward, shadows flickering at his feet.

Then—a rustling sound.

Jinhyuk froze.

Something was moving.

No—multiple things.

All around him.

---

The First Ambush

Jinhyuk's instincts screamed.

He spun just in time to see a figure leaping from the trees—its razor-sharp claws flashing.

Jinhyuk dodged left, narrowly avoiding the strike.

WHAM!

The creature landed on all fours, its glowing eyes locked onto him.

And it wasn't alone.

More red eyes appeared in the fog, bodies shifting through the mist like shadows.

A system notification flashed.

---

[ Monster Identified: Mist Stalkers (C-Rank) ]

Silent predators that blend into fog.

Weakness: Light and sudden movement disrupts their camouflage.

Hunt in packs.

---

Jinhyuk clicked his tongue.

"Tch. Figures."

Before he could react, the Mist Stalkers lunged.

Five of them.

One came from the front—Jinhyuk parried its claws, twisting his dagger into its side.

Another swiped from the left—he ducked, countering with a shadow spear to its throat.

The others circled, waiting for an opening.

Jinhyuk exhaled.

"If I fight defensively, I'll be overwhelmed."

He changed tactics.

---

Abyssal Domain – Turning the Hunt Around

Jinhyuk activated his strongest ability.

[ Skill Activated: Abyssal Domain ]

The entire forest darkened, the mist shifting unnaturally as shadows consumed the ground.

The Mist Stalkers hesitated.

They were hunters—but now, they were inside his domain.

Jinhyuk vanished into the darkness.

Then—he struck.

A dagger to the spine.

A shadow blade through the ribs.

A spear impaling the last one mid-air.

In seconds, the predators were dead.

---

[ Trial Complete. ]

[ EXP Gained: 90 ]

[ Proceed to the Third Floor? ]

---

Jinhyuk rolled his shoulders, exhaling.

"This Tower… it's really testing everything."

But he wasn't complaining.

This was exactly what he needed.

Smirking, he stepped into the next trial.