The Truth in the Shadows

The guest room of the Arcunam Guild was silent, thick with an air of unspoken tension. Zaren and Finn sat opposite each other, neither speaking a word. The only sound was the occasional crackle of the fireplace, casting flickering shadows along the walls. The moment felt endless, yet neither of them broke the silence—until a soft knock on the door interrupted the stillness.

A young waitress entered, balancing a silver tray with two cups of tea. She smiled, though it was clearly forced. The presence of an SSS+ Rank Hunters and SSS Rank Hunter left her visibly nervous. She carefully set the cups down on the table before them.

"Here is your tea, sir," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Zaren offered a polite nod. "Thank you."

Finn also gave a brief smile but quickly turned his attention back to Zaren. As the waitress exited the room, he leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze locked onto Zaren.

"How are you powering up so fast?" Finn asked bluntly. "I've seen a lot of hunters in my time, but none that grow as fast as you."

Zaren hesitated for a moment before answering. "I just focus on hard work," he said simply, though Finn knew that wasn't the full truth.

Finn chuckled. "Hard work alone doesn't explain this level of growth." He took a slow sip of his tea. "Let me ask you something else. How much would it take for you to join my guild?"

Zaren smirked, shaking his head. "These tricks won't work on me."

Finn leaned back, smiling knowingly. "I figured as much," he admitted. "But truth be told, my visit here wasn't only about recruiting you."

Zaren raised an eyebrow. "Then what is it?"

Finn's expression darkened slightly. "I wanted to see something for myself." He motioned toward the door. "Did you notice my right-hand man?"

Zaren thought back to the moment he first arrived. Finn had indeed brought someone with him—a silent, observant figure who barely spoke. He nodded. "Yeah, what about him?"

Finn's smirk returned. "His ability is unique. He can see the true nature of a hunter's power—but in a way unlike anyone else. It manifests in his mind as visions."

Zaren's eyes narrowed. "You mean he can see what kind of power I possess?"

Finn nodded. "Exactly. If you're willing, I'd like him to take a look."

Zaren hesitated. He had been searching for answers about the strange, dark entity that haunted his dreams, that whispered in his thoughts. If this man's ability could reveal something, it might be his best chance at understanding what was happening to him.

"Fine," Zaren said. "Let's do it."

Finn nodded and called out, "Mark."

The door creaked open, and Finn's right-hand man stepped inside. He was a man of few words, his eyes sharp and calculating. He sat down across from Zaren, studying him carefully.

"If you don't mind," Mark said, "please give me your hand."

Zaren hesitated for a brief moment. "What's your rank?" he asked.

Finn chuckled. "He is an S-rank."

Zaren thought to himself, If he can give me the answers I need, then this could be the most valuable moment of my life. He extended his hand.

The moment Mark's fingers wrapped around Zaren's hand, something shifted.

Mark felt his consciousness pulled away, as if being dragged into a void. The world around him dissolved into darkness.

And then—

A vast, endless abyss. Blacker than night itself. The air felt thick, suffocating. Before Mark, a massive entity loomed, its size unfathomable. It was larger than the moon, its form shifting like a shadow consuming the void. Eyes, burning like dying stars, gazed down at him. Mark's breath caught in his throat. His legs refused to move.

The entity's presence alone was crushing.

Then, a voice. Deep, guttural, ancient.

Tell Zaren… his body will soon be mine.

Mark's heart nearly stopped. His eyes widened in terror, his body trembling uncontrollably. Tears welled in his eyes—not from sadness, but from pure, raw fear.

He screamed. "Please, leave me!"

From the outside, Finn and Zaren watched in shock. Mark's body convulsed slightly, his face contorted in pure horror, tears streaming down his cheeks. His lips quivered, whispering unintelligible words. Finn's own expression twisted in confusion and worry.

"Mark!" Finn shouted, shaking him violently.

With a sharp gasp, Mark snapped back into reality. He jerked away, his eyes darting frantically around the room. He was breathing heavily, as if he had just survived something beyond comprehension.

"Water! Get him some water!" Finn barked at the nearest guild staff.

A glass of water was quickly brought in. Mark grabbed it, his hands still trembling, and drank greedily. His breathing slowly steadied, but the fear in his eyes remained.

Finn crouched down next to him. "Mark," he said firmly. "What the hell did you see?"

Mark swallowed hard before answering, his voice barely above a whisper. "It… it was massive. Bigger than this entire kingdom. A darkness that consumed everything. It was death itself."

Finn's jaw tightened. He turned to Zaren. "Do you have any idea what the hell that was?"

Zaren was silent. His mind raced. That thing—he had felt its presence before, in his dreams, in his battles. But for it to be seen like this…

Finn sighed. "We're staying here tonight. Mark can't even walk after that."

Zaren nodded. "I'll get Maria to prepare rooms for you."

He quickly left the room and found Maria. "Hey, we need two rooms for Finn and Mark. Something happened."

Maria didn't question it. She nodded and immediately made the arrangements.

As night fell, Zaren lay in his bed, watching through the eyes of his duplicates spread across Elyria. If any enemy entered the kingdom, he would know instantly.

But something strange happened.

One of his duplicates, stationed near Finn's room, suddenly felt a presence. Inside the room, Finn was asleep. But as the duplicate stepped forward, Finn's eyes snapped open. He sat up, his instincts screaming.

"What the—" he murmured.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and his breath caught in his throat. There, standing at the foot of his bed, was Zaren—or rather, a version of him. Its eyes glowed eerily, its expression unreadable.

Finn felt an unnatural pressure, his body refusing to move. "Zaren…?" he asked hesitantly.

The duplicate only smiled—a slow, unsettling grin. And then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

Finn gasped for breath, his body finally able to move. He clutched his chest. "Was that… a nightmare?"

But something told him it wasn't.

The next morning, Finn and Mark prepared to leave. As they stood by their carriage, Finn turned to Zaren. "If you ever change your mind, my guild's doors are always open."

Zaren nodded with a polite, but fake, smile.

Then Mark stepped forward. Though still shaken, he forced himself to speak. "Zaren… that entity I saw… it spoke to me."

Zaren's breath caught. "What did it say?"

Mark hesitated before answering. "It told me to tell you… your body will soon be mine."

Zaren felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. He clenched his fists as he watched Finn and Mark leave in their carriage.

Alone, Zaren whispered to himself, "That bastard… Can it really take my body?"

(Chapter 26 Fin)