The Forsaken Awakening

Inside the Tower of the Forgotten – Floor 7

Jinhyuk moved through the silent, fog-covered city, his shadows pulsing around him like a second skin.

The battle with the Forgotten Wraith had confirmed one thing—this wasn't just a floor.

It was a graveyard.

A city swallowed by something unnatural.

And at its center, standing tall amidst the ruins, was the cathedral.

The hooded figure was still there.

Watching him.

Waiting.

Jinhyuk exhaled, rolling his shoulders.

"If you're not attacking me, then let's see what you're about."

And with that, he stepped forward.

---

The Cathedral of the Forgotten

The massive cathedral doors stood open, revealing a vast, ruined interior.

Tall stained-glass windows, depicting scenes of forgotten gods, were cracked and covered in dust.

Stone pews lay shattered, the altar at the far end split down the middle, as if struck by something immense.

And standing at the center—

The hooded figure.

Their cloak billowed slightly, even though there was no wind.

Jinhyuk's fingers tightened around his dagger.

"Who are you?"

The figure slowly lifted its head.

And beneath the hood, Jinhyuk saw nothing.

Just a swirling void.

A system message appeared.

---

[ ??? Has Revealed Their Name ]

[ The Nameless Priest – Guardian of the Forgotten City (A-Rank) ]

A former servant of the Forgotten One, left behind to watch over the ruins.

Seeks a worthy successor to carry on their mission.

Will test all intruders before granting passage.

---

Jinhyuk's stomach tightened.

"A priest of the Forgotten One?"

His grip on his dagger didn't loosen.

"If you're here to test me, then get it over with."

But the Priest didn't move.

Instead—it spoke.

A voice like whispers on the wind.

"You do not yet understand what you have inherited."

Jinhyuk frowned.

"Then why don't you explain it to me?"

The Priest tilted its head.

"Words will not be enough. You must witness the truth for yourself."

Then—

The cathedral trembled.

And the trial began.

---

Trial of the Nameless Priest

The entire cathedral darkened, the stained-glass windows shattering as a powerful force erupted from the altar.

Jinhyuk felt his body freeze—

Not from fear.

But because his shadows refused to move.

A system message flashed.

---

[ Trial of the Forgotten: Reliving the Past ]

Objective: Survive the memory of the Forgotten City's fall.

Failure Condition: Death.

---

Jinhyuk's vision blurred.

And suddenly—he was somewhere else.

---

The Forgotten City – Before the Fall

Jinhyuk stood in the same city, but it was alive.

The buildings were whole, the streets bustling with people.

Warriors in obsidian armor patrolled, their weapons etched with strange runes.

And above the city—

A massive black tower stretched into the sky.

Jinhyuk's breath hitched.

"This isn't an illusion. This is history."

Then—the sky cracked.

A tear in reality opened above the tower, and from within—

Something stepped through.

A being covered in shifting darkness, its very presence warping the world.

The people below screamed.

The warriors raised their weapons.

But nothing mattered.

Because when the being moved—reality itself collapsed.

Jinhyuk staggered backward, clutching his head.

The power he was feeling—

It was beyond anything he had ever known.

"This… this is the power of the Forgotten One?"

And then—

Everything went dark.

---

Back in the Cathedral – The Priest's Warning

Jinhyuk gasped, snapping back to reality.

His body was drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged.

The Nameless Priest stood before him, watching silently.

Jinhyuk clenched his fists.

"What was that?"

The Priest's voice was calm.

"The fall of the Forgotten City. The moment our world shattered."

Jinhyuk's mind raced.

"That… thing. That wasn't human. That wasn't even a monster."

The Priest nodded.

"Because it was neither. It was the first servant of the Forgotten One. The one who ensured that nothing remained."

Jinhyuk's pulse pounded.

"And you're saying that's what I'm up against?"

The Priest stepped closer.

"No. You are up against something far worse."

Jinhyuk's breath caught.

Then, the Priest extended a hand.

A dark orb of energy appeared between them, pulsing faintly.

"Take this."

Jinhyuk hesitated.

"What is it?"

The Priest's golden eyes dimmed slightly.

"A gift. A curse. A path forward."

Jinhyuk exhaled.

Then, slowly—

He reached out.

And the moment his fingers touched the orb—

A system message appeared.

---

[ New Skill Acquired: Abyssal Grasp (A-Rank) ]

Allows direct manipulation of abyssal energy.

Can absorb and repurpose dark mana from enemies.

Highly unstable—risks corruption if overused.

---

Jinhyuk's body trembled.

The power flooding into him felt… wrong.

But at the same time—

It felt like something he had been missing.

The Priest stepped back.

"The deeper you walk into the abyss, the harder it will be to return."

"Choose wisely, Hunter."

Then—

The cathedral faded.

And Jinhyuk was alone once more.

---

Level Up!

[ You Have Leveled Up! ]

[ Level 28 → Level 29 ]

[ Abyssal Grasp Added to Skills! ]

---

Jinhyuk exhaled, flexing his fingers.

The power was his now.

But what he had seen—

What he had felt—

That was something different.

Something that could change everything.

And as he moved toward the next floor, he knew one thing for certain.

The Tower wasn't just testing him anymore.

It was preparing him.

For something far, far worse.