Chapter 20: Shadows of the Past

Aiden stepped out of the dungeon, the cool evening air of the forest brushing against his face. The trees around him whispered in the breeze, but something felt off. As he adjusted to the change in atmosphere, a sudden notification popped up on his system interface.

System Quest Notification: "Urgent! Leave the area immediately. Hostiles are approaching the dungeon."

Aiden's heart skipped a beat. "Hostiles? This place isn't safe anymore," he thought, quickly scanning the surroundings. Without hesitation, he activated his newly acquired Shadowstep Technique, blending into the shadows of the trees. His presence became a mere whisper in the wind, his footsteps silent as he moved swiftly and undetected through the forest.

As he distanced himself from the dungeon, he felt the familiar pulse of the system awarding him experience points for his swift actions. Then, another message appeared, catching his attention.

System Tip: "Refrain from recruiting those already awakened by the Hunter Association. Their awakening is under the influence of saints and saintesses. Trust only in those who have yet to awaken. They are free from the manipulation of these entities."

Aiden's eyes widened in realization. "Sofia... she's out there recruiting. If she targets someone already awakened by the Hunter Association, they could be compromised." He quickly opened a comm line to the team.

Aiden: "Sofia, this is Aiden. I've just received a critical update from the system. Don't recruit anyone who's already been awakened by the Hunter Association. The saints and saintesses have likely influenced them."

There was a brief pause before Sofia's voice crackled through the comms.

Sofia: "Understood, Aiden. I'll abort the current target and move on to the next. Thanks for the heads-up."

Aiden felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Good, she'll avoid any potential traps." Meanwhile, he could hear distant rustling and voices growing closer to the dungeon. Whoever was coming, they were almost there, but Aiden was long gone, his new skill keeping him well ahead of any pursuers.

After a few more minutes of careful travel, Aiden finally reached the base. As he approached, the fortified gates creaked open, and the familiar faces of his team greeted him with a mix of relief and curiosity.

Jake: "Aiden! You're back! We were getting worried, man. It's been five days."

Aiden: "Five days?" Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Time moves differently in the dungeon… for me, it was only two days." He quickly recounted his experiences, detailing the trials he faced, the skills he acquired, and the mysteries that had begun to unravel.

As he finished, Olivia stepped forward with a young girl by her side. Aiden's gaze locked onto the girl, who looked no older than a high school student. Something about her seemed familiar.

Olivia: "Aiden, this is Mia. I found her trapped in a building, and she's one of us now."

The name hit Aiden like a lightning bolt. "Mia... Thompson? That name... could it be?" His mind raced back to a conversation he had once had in his past life.

He remembered sitting across from the guild master of a lesser-known guild, a man whose lineage carried the weight of a name nearly forgotten by history.

Guild Master (Past Life): "Aiden, heed my warning. The 10 major guilds... they're not what they seem. My ancestor, Mia Thompson, was one of the greatest mages of her time, but she was betrayed. Her death was no accident. The major guilds saw her as a threat, and now I fear they'll come for anyone who follows in her footsteps."

Aiden had brushed off the warning at the time, but now, looking at this young girl with the same name, the pieces began to fall into place. "Could she be related? And if she is… what does that mean for her future?"

Aiden nodded to Olivia, masking his thoughts behind a calm exterior.

Aiden: "Welcome, Mia. You're safe here."

His eyes drifted to the bracelet on her wrist, a small, unassuming band that Jake had crafted. Aiden gave Jake a subtle nod of approval, acknowledging the foresight in securing the girl's loyalty. "She doesn't need to know that only I can remove it. Better to keep that quiet for now."

As the team settled down, Aiden couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The echoes of the past were growing louder, and with every step he took, the path ahead seemed to twist and turn into something far more complex than he had ever imagined. But one thing was clear: the shadows of the past were reaching out, and Aiden would have to be ready to face them.