Chapter 8: The World Beyond the Abyss

The sunlight hit Raon's skin as he stepped out of the dungeon, and for a moment, he paused. The warmth of the outside world was jarring, a stark contrast to the suffocating coldness of the Abyss that still lingered within him. The shadows around his feet seemed to pulse, flickering like living creatures, reacting to his every movement. It was as though the dungeon was a part of him now, its darkness seeping into the very core of his being.

Jae-Hyun stumbled out behind him, his body battered, bloodied, but alive. He took a deep breath of fresh air, relief washing over his face. "We're out. We actually made it," he murmured, almost as if he couldn't believe it.

Raon didn't respond, his eyes locked on the horizon. The world outside had never seemed so distant, so alien. The shadows at his feet, the lingering power inside him—it was as though he no longer belonged in this world. He had come from the depths of an E-Rank hunter, someone who could barely fend for himself, to becoming something… other. Something that might one day break the world apart if it wasn't careful.

The power was still there, swirling in the pit of his stomach, urging him forward. Hungry. Ever hungry. But Raon wasn't sure if it was the Abyss that was calling him… or his own desire to see just how far he could push this power.

"Raon," Jae-Hyun's voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to face his teammate. There was something different in the way Jae-Hyun looked at him now—fear, awe, and perhaps a hint of doubt. "What happens now? We've… We've both been through hell down there, but it feels like we just scratched the surface. You've changed. I've never seen anything like that before. That Demon Lord… that wasn't just some monster. You were fighting with it like you were one of them."

Raon's hand tightened around the hilt of his dagger. "I'm not like them. I'm not a monster."

Jae-Hyun seemed to hesitate before speaking again. "Are you sure? Because I'm not sure who you are anymore. The things you did down there… that wasn't something an E-Rank hunter could do. That wasn't something a human could do."

Raon's eyes narrowed. The darkness within him stirred, but he pushed it back. "I did what I had to do to survive." His voice was harsh, but even as he said the words, he couldn't shake the doubt creeping into the back of his mind. Was he still the same person he once was?

"I can't explain it," Raon continued, his tone quiet now, almost reflective. "The power inside me, it's like something's been awakened. The Abyss… it's changing me. I don't know how or why, but I can't ignore it anymore."

Jae-Hyun took a step back, looking at him as if he were trying to see the person he used to know. "Then what? Are you going to keep using it? Keep going deeper?"

Raon didn't know. The Abyss had promised power—and he had tasted it. But with every battle, the hunger inside him grew. It wasn't just physical anymore. He wasn't sure if it was his soul that was being devoured, or something even darker.

"I have to," Raon answered, his voice hollow. "I have to see what I can do with this power. I don't think there's any going back."

Jae-Hyun fell silent, clearly torn. "Then… I don't know if I can keep following you, Raon. If this is what you're becoming, I'm not sure if I can go down that road with you."

Raon didn't argue. His gaze shifted back to the horizon, the weight of the choice sinking in. He had killed the Demon Lord. He had fought and survived—but he had also changed.

And that change… would only lead to more destruction, more bloodshed.

The road ahead was uncertain, dangerous, but it was the only one Raon could walk now.

Several Days Later

Raon and Jae-Hyun had parted ways after their conversation at the dungeon entrance. Jae-Hyun had left with little more than a few words of concern and fear. Raon didn't blame him. He could barely recognize the person he was becoming either.

Now, he was standing alone in a small town on the outskirts of the city, a far cry from the bustling metropolis he had once known. The town felt quieter, smaller, as though everything had slowed down to accommodate the growing chaos in Raon's heart.

He was no longer the weak hunter who could barely make ends meet. He had seen the world beneath the surface, a world filled with power and danger, and now, he knew that nothing would ever be the same.

Raon's hand tightened around the dagger at his side, the shadows beneath him almost alive in their movements. He had felt the Abyss pull at him every day since leaving the dungeon, like a cold hand on his shoulder, urging him to seek more—to seek deeper, to seek the truth of what he had become.

It wasn't about survival anymore. It was about control.

He had the power. But the question was: would he be able to control it? Or would it control him?

Raon's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden voice.

"Raon Veras."

He turned sharply, and his hand instinctively reached for his dagger. But there was no threat. Instead, a man stood before him, his appearance refined, sharp, almost otherworldly. He was dressed in an expensive suit, his eyes glowing faintly with a strange, unsettling light.

"My name is Ivan Darnell," the man said, his voice smooth and confident. "I represent a group of individuals interested in people like you. People with unique… abilities."

Raon's instincts screamed at him to walk away, but curiosity won out. "What do you want?"

Ivan smiled, but there was no warmth behind it. "I want to offer you an opportunity. Join us, Raon. With your potential and my resources, we can reach heights you've never dreamed of. The Abyss is only the beginning. But in the right hands, it can be the key to unlocking true power."

Raon paused, the shadows at his feet curling around him like a living entity. He knew this offer wasn't simple. But the lure of more power—the desire to understand the Abyss completely—pulled at him, stronger than ever.

"I'm listening," Raon said quietly, his eyes narrowing.