**Chapter 4: Shadows and Betrayal**

**Five Days Before the Entrance Exam**

The neon lights of Eryndor's night markets flickered like distant stars as Kael Arashi moved through the crowd, his black armor blending with the shadows. Over the past month, he'd become a ghost in the city—completing quests, honing his skills, and stockpiling credits. His Hunter's Band now displayed a crisp **9/10 E-Rank Quests Completed**. One more, and he'd finally ascend to D-rank.

The Shadow Interface hummed in his mind, its translucent screen updating as he walked:

---

**Name:** Kael Arashi

**Age:** 16

**Power:** Shadow Dominion

**Current Rank:** E

**Quests Completed:** 9

**Shadow Energy:** 150/150

**Abilities:**

- **Shadow Step (Lv. 2):** Teleport short distances. *Cost: 20 Energy.*

- **Shadow Cloak (Lv. 1):** Blend into shadows for invisibility. *Cost: 10 Energy/sec.*

- **Shadow Whip (New):** A tendril of darkness for mid-range strikes. *Cost: 30 Energy.*

- **Shadow Barrier (New):** A defensive shield of solidified shadows. *Cost: 40 Energy.*

---

The new offensive and defensive skills had been hard-earned. A week prior, during a solo hunt against **Ashspawn** (fire-breathing, dog-like demons), Kael had nearly been incinerated before the Shadow Interface suddenly offered him a quest:

**[Emergency Quest: Survive the Inferno]**

**Reward:** Unlock **Shadow Barrier**

He'd barely escaped, his back scorched and lungs filled with smoke. But the barrier had saved his life. Now, as he approached the Demon Hunter Association building, he felt ready for the final push.

---

### **The D-Rank Trial**

Commander Ryker's office smelled of burnt coffee and gunpowder. The scarred man leaned back in his chair, eyeing Kael's updated file.

"Nine E-rank quests in a month? Not bad for a rookie," Ryker grunted. "But D-rank's a different beast. You'll need a team for this one."

Kael stiffened. "A team?"

Ryker slid a holographic dossier across the desk. The mission details flickered:

**[D-Rank Quest: Clear the Crimson Gorge Portal]**

**Location:** Near **Luminara City** (2 hours northeast of Eryndor)

**Objective:** Eliminate the portal's core and retrieve demonic residue samples.

**Team Required:** 5 Members

"Portal's crawling with **Bloodfang** demons," Ryker said. "Fast, venomous, and smart enough to set traps. Your team's already assembled—meet them at Luminara's outpost by dawn."

Kael's jaw tightened. *Teamwork* wasn't in his vocabulary. But the quest was his ticket to D-rank—and the Eclipsion Academy entrance exam.

"Understood," he said, turning to leave.

"Arashi," Ryker called out. "Don't die. Paperwork's a pain."

---

Luminara's outpost was a crumbling relic from the pre-invasion era, its walls scarred by claw marks. Kael arrived at dawn, the morning light casting long shadows across the courtyard. The team was already gathering, and Kael took a moment to observe them one by one.

The first to approach was a lean, androgynous figure with snow-white hair tied into a high ponytail. Their sharp, frostbitten eyes scanned Kael with a mix of curiosity and disdain. They wore a sleek black combat suit with silver accents, and twin daggers hung at their hips.

"You're the rookie?" they said, their voice deliberately gruff. "Try not to slow us down, *E-rank*."

Kael met their gaze evenly. "I'll keep up. Don't worry about me."

Jarek smirked, a flicker of amusement in their icy eyes. "Confident. I like that. Just don't get yourself killed—it's bad for team morale."

Kael's Shadow Interface flickered:

**[Warning: Subject's Aura Contains Concealed Intent.]**

He ignored it. *Probably just arrogance.*

Next was a hulking man with a cybernetic arm that whirred faintly as he moved. His face was rugged, with a jagged scar running from his temple to his jawline. He wore a sleeveless vest that showed off his muscular frame, and his grin revealed gold-capped teeth.

"Name's Vorn," he said, his voice deep and gravelly. He extended his cybernetic hand, and Kael shook it, feeling the cold metal grip. "Heard you've got some fancy shadow tricks. Hope they're as good as they say."

Kael nodded. "They'll get the job done."

Vorn chuckled. "We'll see. Just don't get in my way, kid."

As Vorn walked off, Kael's Interface flickered again:

**[Warning: Subject's Aura Contains Hostile Intent.]**

*Odd,* Kael thought. *But maybe he's just rough around the edges.*

A petite woman with neon-pink hair and a crossbow strapped to her back sauntered over. Her eyes were a striking violet, and her lips were painted a matching shade. She wore a patchwork of leather and metal armor, with various pouches and vials hanging from her belt.

"Hey there, newbie," she said, her voice light and teasing. "I'm Lira. Don't worry, I'll make sure your first D-rank quest is *memorable*."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Memorable how?"

She giggled, a sound like glass shattering. "Oh, you'll see. Just stick close to me, and you might survive."

Kael's Interface flickered once more:

**[Warning: Subject's Aura Contains Deceptive Intent.]**

He frowned but said nothing.

The last member of the team was a lanky teenager with goggles perched on his forehead and a bandolier of glowing vials across his chest. His dark hair was messy, and he muttered equations under his breath as he fiddled with a small device in his hands.

"Silas," he said without looking up. "Statistically, 68% of E-ranks die on their first D-rank quest. Fascinating, isn't it?"

Kael crossed his arms. "I'll be in the 32%, then."

Silas finally looked up, adjusting his goggles. "Confidence doesn't change the numbers. But I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

Kael's Interface flickered again:

**[Warning: Subject's Aura Contains Calculating Intent.]**

*Great,* Kael thought. *A team of psychopaths.*

---

The portal loomed at the gorge's heart—a pulsating red maw spewing sulfurous smoke. Bloodfang demons scuttled across the rocks, their serrated fangs dripping venom.

Jarek tossed Kael a contemptuous glance. "Stay behind me, rookie. And don't touch anything."

Kael's eye twitched. "I've killed tougher demons in my sleep."

"Oh? Let's see it, then."

Jarek lunged forward, their twin daggers slicing through a Bloodfang's throat. The demon collapsed, and Jarek flicked the blood off their blade with a smirk.

Kael gritted his teeth. *Showoff.*

The team advanced, carving through demons. Vorn's cybernetic arm crushed skulls, Lira's poison bolts melted flesh, and Silas's explosive vials turned entire packs to ash. Kael held his own—Shadow Step dodging strikes, Shadow Whip disarming foes.

But the portal's energy grew unstable. The ground trembled.

Silas checked his scanner. "Anomaly detected! The portal's evolving—**C-rank**!"

The crimson maw expanded, vomiting out a towering **Hellspawn Brute**—a horned monstrosity with lava-cracked skin.

Vorn grinned. "Change of plans. Kill the rookies first."

Before Kael could react, Vorn's cybernetic fist slammed into Jarek's ribs. Lira fired a bolt at Kael's head—he deflected it with a Shadow Barrier. Silas tossed a vial that erupted into acid mist.

"Traitors!" Jarek spat, clutching their side.

Lira giggled. "We prefer 'entrepreneurs.' Demon cores sell for a fortune on the black market. *Especially* from dead hunters."

Kael's Interface blared:

**[Emergency Quest: Survive the Betrayal]**

**Reward:** Unlock **Shadow Nova** (Area Attack)

---

Chaos erupted. The Hellspawn Brute roared, swiping at everyone. Jarek and Kael fought back-to-back, their rivalry forgotten.

Jarek: "Why aren't you running, rookie?!"

Kael: "I don't leave fights unfinished."

Jarek: *Smirks.* "Finally, something we agree on."

Kael unleashed Shadow Whip, binding Vorn's arm. Jarek lunged, daggers flashing, but Lira shot a bolt into their shoulder. Jarek staggered, their disguise flickering—revealing a glimpse of feminine curves.

Kael blinked. "You're—?!"

"Shut up and fight!" Jarek snarled, tearing the bolt free.

Silas hurled a vial, but Kael Shadow-Stepped behind him, dislocating his arm with a brutal kick. The Hellspawn Brute seized Vorn, crushing him into paste. Lira screamed—a Bloodfang impaled her from behind.

Jarek and Kael stood alone against the Brute.

"Got a plan?" Jarek panted.

Kael grinned. "Ever danced in the shadows?"

He activated **Shadow Cloak**, vanishing. The Brute roared, confused. Jarek taunted it, dodging blows. Then—Kael reappeared above, driving his dagger into the Brute's eye. Jarek finished it with a dagger through the heart.

The Brute collapsed. The portal shuddered.

---

The portal didn't collapse. Instead, the gorge darkened—a **C-rank lockdown**. They were trapped until dawn.

Jarek slumped against a rock, their disguise fully dissolved. White hair cascaded down their shoulders, and their icy eyes glinted with pain. "...You saw nothing."

Kael snorted. "Relax. Your secret's safe."

She glared. "It's *Lady Seraphina Veyra* to you."

"Seraphina? Sounds like a prissy noble name."

She threw a rock at him. He ducked.

Nyx materialized as a shadowy cat, purring. *"Oh, this is delicious. The mighty Veyra heiress, humbled by a rookie."*

Seraphina froze. "What. Is. That."

Kael sighed. "A demon. Long story."

They patched their wounds in tense silence. Seraphina finally spoke: "Why risk your life for D-rank? You're clearly not in it for money."

Kael's gaze darkened. "Revenge. Demons took everything from me."

Seraphina studied him. "...The Veyras lost half our family in the last invasion. Maybe we're not so different."

**[Quest Update: Survive the Night]**

**Reward:** +1 Trust Level with Seraphina Veyra

---

As sunlight pierced the gorge, the portal's core materialized—a **Crimson Mastral**, a winged serpent with obsidian scales.

Seraphina stood, daggers ready. "Ready to finish this, rookie?"

Kael activated Shadow Nova, dark energy swirling around him. "Call me Kael."

The Mastral lunged.

_To be continued _