The flickering lights in the Blue Ravens Guild HQ hallway cast long, elegant shadows. Every step echoed like the ticking of a clock.
In a private office on the 52nd floor, Park Ji-hoon, the elegant Guild Master of Blue Ravens, sat opposite a hooded figure dressed in black.
His expression, as always, was unreadable—poised, calm, eyes sharp as glass.
Between them was a sealed envelope on the mahogany table.
Inside: a bank contract.
₩200,000,000.
(Approximately $146,000 USD.)
Park Ji-hoon leaned back slightly, his hands crossed.
"Two hundred million won," he said, voice even and composed. "That's the amount I'm willing to offer. You'll have access to our network, resources, and ghost intel. In return, you'll work under Blue Ravens."
The hooded figure didn't move.
Silence stretched for several seconds before Jae-min's low voice broke through.
"I'll join," he said.
Park Ji-hoon's brow raised faintly.
"But—only as a hidden member. No public exposure. No announcements. No ranks, no guild badges."
His tone was calm but absolute. "My existence stays off record."
Park Ji-hoon studied him—then gave a small, amused smile.
"You're not leaving much room for negotiation."
"Take it or leave it," Jae-min replied simply.
For the first time, the composed guild master chuckled quietly.
"…Fine. Hidden member it is."
They shook hands.
And at that moment, both men knew it wasn't just a deal—
It was the beginning of a secret alliance.
---
Later That Night
At home, the city lights glowed against the window.
Jae-min sat across from Quinn, his younger sister, who was munching snacks while watching TV.
"Hey, Quinn."
His tone was calm but oddly serious.
She looked at him, curious. "What's wrong?"
"I need to tell you something… about me."
He paused—then took a deep breath.
"I'm the Phantom."
The chips dropped from her hand.
For a moment, Quinn froze, her wide eyes reflecting disbelief.
"W–What did you say…?"
"The person everyone's talking about. The one Silver Cross Union is searching for. It's me."
Her lips parted slightly, words failing her.
"You're serious?" she whispered.
He nodded.
The silence between them lasted long—but instead of panic or fear, Quinn exhaled and smiled faintly, though her hands trembled a little.
"You idiot," she whispered. "You scared me."
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Of course I'm shocked… but you're my brother." She leaned forward, eyes glistening. "And I won't tell anyone. Promise."
Her voice softened.
"Just… don't get yourself killed, okay?"
Jae-min smiled faintly and patted her head.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
---
Two Days Later – Blue Ravens HQ, Captain's Office
The atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Park Ji-hoon was reviewing reports when the doors to his office suddenly burst open—without a single knock.
A tall man in a pristine white coat stepped in, aura heavy enough to distort the air around him.
It was Kang Dae-hyun, Captain of the Silver Cross Union.
The room temperature seemed to drop instantly.
Ji-hoon's eyes narrowed.
"You're not one to visit unannounced."
Kang Dae-hyun smirked and walked in, sitting comfortably in front of Ji-hoon's desk.
"Relax. I just came to see my old friend."
Ji-hoon's expression darkened.
"We stopped being friends that day, remember?"
The words hung in the air like a blade.
Kang Dae-hyun smile didn't fade. Instead, his tone shifted—calm, yet dangerous.
"Tell me, Ji-hoon… if you ever find out where the Phantom is, you'll inform me, won't you?"
Ji-hoon looked down, his hand tightening slightly on the pen he held.
"Sure," he said quietly.
But something in his tone… wasn't convincing.
Kang Dae-hyun smile vanished.
A reddish aura began to seep from his body—like molten energy distorting reality.
He leaned forward, eyes glowing crimson.
"If you're lying to me…"
His voice dropped to a growl.
"I'll kill you myself. Past or not."
Ji-hoon didn't flinch.
A cold, ashy silver aura radiated from him in response—two forces clashing silently in the air.
"Then get the hell out," Ji-hoon said flatly.
"If that's all you came here to say."
For a moment, neither man moved.
Then Kang Dae-hyun smiled again, eerily calm.
"Don't worry, old friend. I'll be back soon."
He raised his hand—and reality itself bent.
The room around him twisted, folding like fabric, walls warping as if the laws of matter bowed before him.
Then—he vanished.
Only silence remained.
Park Ji-hoon let out a slow breath, a faint tremor in his hand.
"…Matter Manipulation," he muttered.
He had nearly forgotten how terrifying Kang Dae-hyun power was.
---
Meanwhile — Phantom's Apartment, 43rd Floor
Jae-min was in his personal training room, his system window glowing before him.
> [Progress: 43rd Floor Complete.]
[New Abilities Unlocked:]
— The Zone (Prototype): Creates a controllable domain that manipulates time flow. Duration: 30 seconds.
— Dimensional Phase Copy: Ability replicated from Park Ji-hoon's "Ghost Form." Allows partial phasing through physical matter and spiritual energy.
He exhaled softly.
So I can stop time for thirty seconds…
Not bad.
He deactivated the display and headed for the shower.
Warm water fell over his face as he tried to calm his thoughts.
Afterward, Quinn was lying on the couch, scrolling through her phone.
"Hey, Quinn," he said. "Do you remember anything about the accident that put you in a coma?"
She frowned, closing her phone.
"I've tried… but no. It's all a blur. The only thing I remember was… a strange light above me."
Her voice was distant, uneasy.
"A light?" Jae-min repeated quietly.
"Yeah. A really bright one. Then… nothing."
Jae-min fell silent, his mind turning. A strange light, huh…?
He didn't press further. Instead, he smiled faintly and said,
"Pack your things, Quinn."
She blinked, confused.
"Huh? Why?"
"Because we're moving," he said simply.
"Somewhere better."
She tilted her head, her face mixing surprise and excitement.
"Wait, really?! You're not joking, right?"
"Nope." He grinned. "So hurry before I change my mind."
Her smile grew wide, full of joy and confusion as she ran off to her room to start packing.
Jae-min leaned back on the couch, staring at the window—the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.
"Things are about to get complicated," he muttered.
---
---
The hum of the car engine faded as Jae-min and Quinn stepped out onto the stone-paved driveway.
Before them stood a sleek, two-story mansion surrounded by forested hills—far from the bustle of the city.
A faint mist lingered around the property, giving the air a cool serenity.
A high-tech protective dome shimmered faintly overhead—barely visible unless you looked closely. It radiated faint silver light, pulsing with spiritual energy.
The mansion wasn't just beautiful. It was safe.
This was part of the deal Jae-min made with Park Ji-hoon—a private residence fully paid for by the Blue Ravens Guild, complete with the best protection formations money could buy.
Even the guild had difficulty affording such places, but for the Phantom, Park made an exception.
There was also one extra term Jae-min had added to their agreement:
> "Blue Ravens will cover my sister's school fees until she graduates high school."
And Park Ji-hoon had agreed without hesitation.
---
Quinn was a blur of excitement, running through the wide hallways.
"Look at this! There's a swimming pool—and a basketball court!"
She darted across the marble floors, her laughter echoing through the massive interior.
The sound warmed Jae-min's heart more than he'd like to admit.
She peeked into one of the guest rooms, gasping at the sight of the neatly made queen-size bed and shimmering glass view that overlooked the forest below.
"Oppa! There's even a gaming room! And… wait, is that an indoor gym!?"
Jae-min chuckled softly as he followed behind her, hands in his pockets.
Even he had to admit—the place was impressive.
Clean, elegant, reinforced with exorcist-grade materials, and wrapped in several layers of protection seals.
After Quinn finished exploring every corner of the house, she ran up and hugged him tightly.
"I love it here, Oppa. Thank you so much!"
He smiled, patting her head gently. "I told you, didn't I? Things are getting better."
---
Later That Night
Jae-min stood by the balcony, the moonlight washing over his face as he held his phone to his ear.
"Park Ji-hoon," he said simply when the line connected. "Thanks. For everything—the house, and Quinn's school thing."
The voice on the other end was calm and composed.
"You don't owe me thanks, Jae-min. You're helping the Blue Ravens more than you think."
There was a small pause.
"I should be the one thanking you," Park said, his tone softening slightly. "For trusting me with your identity."
Jae-min's lips curved into a faint smile. "Heh. Just don't make me regret it."
He hung up soon after, staring out into the glowing forest beyond the dome.
For a moment, everything felt… peaceful.
---
The Next Day — A New Job
"Alright, let's end this quickly," Jae-min muttered as his boots hit the ground.
The alleyway was drenched in fog and darkness—exactly the kind of environment ghosts loved.
The air itself seemed alive with whispers.
> [Quest: Purify the A-Rank Ghost – Devourer of Chains]
Reward: 350,000 GE / Item Drop Chance: 7%
The ghost appeared—an enormous mass of shadow, its body covered in ethereal chains that moved like snakes.
Each chain it swung left behind a ripple of spectral pressure.
Its hollow voice echoed:
"Eeeeterrrnnnalll… fooood…"
Jae-min's eyes narrowed as the faint blue aura flickered around him.
"Not today."
The creature lunged, chains whipping toward him.
He vanished mid-swing—E.P.S.T (Enhanced Phantom Step Technique) activating with a soft ripple in the air.
He reappeared behind the ghost, blade glowing crimson.
> [Skill Activated: Ember Drive Slash]
He slashed clean through one of the ghost's cores—but the creature didn't vanish.
Instead, it screamed, chains extending to absorb the energy of lesser ghosts nearby.
Its body grew larger. More monstrous.
Jae-min's eyes glowed faintly gold as his system interface appeared beside him.
> [Warning: Ghost using 'Energy Absorb.' Danger Level increasing.]
[Recommendation: Release Aura Field.]
"Tch. Fine."
He took a deep breath.
> [Skill: Aura Form – Active]
A burst of scarlet and white energy exploded from his body, wrapping around him like fire given shape.
The nearby mist scattered instantly as pressure filled the air.
Each step he took left glowing footprints—his aura bending the environment itself.
"Let's see you absorb this."
The chains struck again, but this time Jae-min didn't dodge.
He grabbed them—bare hands glowing as his aura devoured the ghost's energy instead.
> [System Sync: Energy Inversion Successful.]
"Return to the void."
He pulled, and the chains shattered like glass.
With one last movement, Jae-min drew his blade in a blazing arc.
> [Skill Activated: Void Rend]
A crescent slash of burning aura sliced through the ghost's core—splitting it apart completely.
The entity let out one last screech before dissolving into particles of light.
Jae-min exhaled slowly as his aura faded.
> [Quest Complete.]
[Experience +18,700]
[GE Acquired: 350,000]
He sheathed his sword and muttered, "Too easy."
---
Meanwhile — Blue Ravens HQ
In the guild's massive training arena, several exorcists wiped sweat from their brows after finishing drills.
Their laughter filled the room as they collapsed on benches.
"Hey, have you heard?"
One of them grinned. "Captain Ji-hoon apparently recruited some new guy recently."
"Yeah, I heard he's insanely strong—but no one knows who he is."
"Seriously? Why the secrecy?"
"Maybe he's some kind of S-rank freelancer?"
They all laughed, throwing around wild guesses.
At the far end of the room, Baek Eun-ji sat quietly, listening.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
A new recruit? Captain's been unusually private lately…
She wiped her face with a towel and made her way straight to the captain's office.
---
Park Ji-hoon's Office
When she entered, Park Ji-hoon was seated behind his desk, reading reports.
He didn't look up.
"Captain," Eun-ji said carefully. "About the new recruit everyone's talking about…"
Park sighed, finally glancing at her.
"I'm not allowed to share that information."
She frowned. "Even with me?"
"Especially with you," he replied bluntly. "Orders are orders."
That tone meant the conversation was over.
Eun-ji pursed her lips, then nodded. "Understood, Captain."
She turned to leave—but paused at the door, her hand lingering on the handle.
Jae-min… could it be you?
Her eyes softened as she stepped out, the door closing quietly behind her.
---
Meanwhile, far from the guild's walls, the Phantom stood on a skyscraper rooftop, his coat fluttering in the cold wind.
He opened his hand, small traces of blue and red aura swirling around his fingers.
"…Level forty-four," he muttered. "Let's keep it going."
His system flickered before him, a faint hum of energy responding in the night air.
And down below, unseen forces were already moving.
The Silver Cross Union hadn't given up their search.
And soon, the hunt would begin.
---
To Be Continued....
---