Kieran opened his eyes, his vision blurred by a dazzling white light. A throbbing headache pulsed through his skull as he tried to regain his senses. When he saw the ceiling, he realized he was in a hospital. Slowly, he breathed in and out, his body still aching.

  "So, you're finally awake."

  Kieran turned his head. A tall man with a powerful aura had entered the room. His short black hair and sharp gaze gave him a charismatic presence. The black guild jacket he wore signified that he was no ordinary person. This man was Darius Alden, leader of the Ironclad Guild.

  "Did you save me?" Kieran asked, his voice still weak.

  Darius nodded. "Yes. We found you covered in blood. Your teammates... they're all dead. You were the only survivor. Is there something you need to tell me?"

  Kieran swallowed hard. Memories of the dungeon resurfaced—shadows, monsters, and... the system. But he couldn't reveal everything to this man. If he mentioned the system, they would investigate him. He had to avoid drawing attention for now.

  "As far as I remember..." he said, his voice trembling, "something suddenly went wrong. The monsters were far stronger than expected. We... couldn't stop them. Before I passed out, everything was blood and screams. After that, nothing."

  Darius narrowed his eyes. "Is that really all? You're the only one who survived—why?"

  Kieran forced himself to appear weak and helpless, shaking his head. "Luck... I guess I was just lucky. At some point, everything went dark, and when I woke up, I was here."

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  Darius scrutinized him but didn't push further. "Alright, get some rest for now. But I expect to see you again soon. Come visit me at my guild's headquarters."

  With that, he turned and left the room. Kieran took a deep breath. For now, he was safe, but the unease within him remained. The system's presence pulsed inside him.

  Slowly, he took a deep breath and thought: Open System Interface.

  A translucent screen appeared before him:

  [System Notification: Kieran Voss's Status Window]

  Name: Kieran Voss

  Level: 5

  Title: Heir of Shadows

  Class: Shadow Strider

  Stats:

  Strength: 22

  Agility: 30

  Endurance: 18

  Intelligence: 25

  Mana: 40

  Skills:

  ?? [Shadow Weapons] (C-Rank):

  Kieran can manipulate shadows to create weapons. Currently, he can form up to four shadow daggers.

  ?? [Shadow Step] (C-Rank):

  Allows Kieran to teleport short distances through shadows. Currently, he can move up to one meter.

  ?? [Shadow Rain] (C+-Rank):

  Kieran can launch his created shadow daggers in a multi-attack strike. Currently, he can throw up to six daggers.

  Just then, a dark voice echoed from the depths of his mind:

  "So, you survived..."

  Kieran flinched. The voice resonated directly in his head—cold, authoritative, and carrying a weight behind every word.

  "Who’s there?" he asked, glancing around. But he was alone in the room.

  "Me? I am your greatest trial... and your ultimate fate."

  Kieran’s breath hitched. This was the Shadow God.

  "You bear a mere fragment of my power, and I am watching you. You are weak. But that will change."

  Kieran clenched his teeth. Was this entity the one that had granted him the system in the dungeon? "What do you want from me?"

  "Let’s see... I want to witness how long you can endure. But first... I will keep watching you. If you fail, the shadows will consume you."

  The voice abruptly vanished. Kieran was left breathless. The shadows around him trembled slightly... and he knew—

  He was no longer alone.

  And this was only the beginning...