[CELESTIAL HUNTER HAS ENTERED THE DUNGEON]
Aiden's breath stopped.
"Oh… shit."
"Step… step…"
The footsteps approaching were soft… too soft for the pressure they carried. Every instinct inside him screamed danger.
Aiden's grip tightened around his dagger as he slowly turned.
From the far end of the dim cavern, silver dust drifted through the air like stardust. A silhouette walked through it—tall, graceful, and unnervingly calm.
A humanoid figure draped in a celestial-white cloak.
A glowing bow floating behind its back.
Eyes like two galaxies swirling with blue and gold.
The system chimed.
""[New Entity Detected]""
""[Name: Celestial Hunter]""
""[Rank: Not Registered]""
""[Status: Watching You]""
Aiden's heartbeat spiked.
"Not… registered?"
He had faced beasts, mutated creatures, even the black wolf that nearly tore him apart. But this… this presence was different. There was no killing intent. No murderous aura.
Just… judgment.
As if the being was here to determine whether Aiden even deserved to keep breathing.
The Celestial Hunter raised a hand.
Light rippled.
The dungeon trembled.
Aiden instantly dropped into a defensive stance, mana flaring around his body.
"I didn't come here to die," he whispered.
To his surprise, the figure spoke—its voice soft yet echoing like multiple tones layered together.
""[Unstable power… outstanding growth…I'm curious].""
The words froze Aiden more than any attack could have.
It… was analyzing him.
"Who are you?" Aiden demanded.
The Celestial Hunter tilted its head.
"Awatcher. A filter. Only those worthy may cross into the deeper shadows of this world. You… are a distortion."
"Distortion?" Aiden clenched his teeth. "I'm just trying to survive."
The being lifted its bow.
Aiden's muscles tensed—ready to move, ready to strike, ready to fight if he had to.
But instead of firing, the Celestial Hunter pointed the bow downward.
""Show me.""
A glowing arrow formed—pure mana condensed so tightly it hummed.
The arrow shot into the ground.
*BOOM—*
The floor exploded as a creature burst from the dust—"six legs", "obsidian skin", "glowing crimson veins."
A dungeon guardian.
Ding..
""[Forced Trial Initiated]""
""[Trial: Survive the Hunter's Beast]""
""[Duration: Until Entity Loses Interest]""
Aiden clicked his tongue. "Seriously?!"
The beast lunged.
Aiden dodged to the right, mana-enhanced speed barely enough to avoid the razor-sharp limbs.
He struck one it's legs.—his blade bounced off.
"Tough bastard…"
The beast screeched, its multiple eyes lighting up.
Aiden rolled backwards as a claw carved a deep trench in the stone where he stood.
The Celestial Hunter watched silently, unmoving—as if studying a rare animal.
Aiden felt rage rise inside him.
He wasn't anyone's lab rat.
He sprinted forward.
Mana flowed into his legs—
His arms—
His core—
He ducked under the beast's strike, leapt onto its arm, and drove his dagger into its shoulder joint.
*CRACK—!*
Black blood sprayed.
The beast roared, flinging him backward.
He crashed into the cavern wall—but rolled back onto his feet immediately.
"That hurts… but I'm not done."
He charged again.
The next clash was brutal—
Claws met blade, stone shattered, the cavern shook from the impact.
Aiden used every bit of agility, every ounce of stamina, every drop of potion he had left.
Finally—
He found an opening.
The beast overextended.
Aiden slid under its body and slashed upward—
*SHINK—!*
Cutting its abdomen open.
The guardian collapsed with a thunderous crash, black blood spreading across the ground.
The system chimed.
""[Forced Trial Completed]""
""[Reward: Acknowledgment Pending]""
Aiden breathed heavily, bracing himself.
The Celestial Hunter approached… slowly… silently.
Aiden didn't move.
The being stopped in front of the corpse and looked at Aiden.
For a moment, there was no sound except the dripping blood.
Then—
The Celestial Hunter appeared in front of Aiden in an instant before Aiden could even react, it raised a single finger and touched Aiden's forehead.
A surge of energy rushed through him—
Warm, electric, overwhelming.
""You have potential."" The Celestial Hunter Said Approvingly,
Aiden's eyes widened.
The being's voice echoed again.
"Grow stronger… before they find you."
"Who?"
The Celestial Hunter didn't answer.
Its body dissolved into light—
Particles drifting upward like stars returning to the sky—
And then vanished completely.
Aiden stood alone in the silent cavern, the corpse of the guardian steaming beside him.
He exhaled shakily.
"What the hell… was that?"
Before he could process anything, the system chimed again.
""[Hidden Quest Updated]""
""[Title: The Celestial's Mark]""
""[Status: Active]""
""Description: A being beyond known ranks has taken interest in you. Your path is no longer ordinary.Only Strength will determine your survival.""
Aiden stared at the glowing text.
"…Great. Just what I needed."
He sheathed his dagger and finally turned around to leave the chamber.
But the moment he took a step—
A new system message appeared, one that made his blood run cold.
"[Warning]""
""[A new presence has entered the dungeon]""
""[Type: Celestial Hunter ]
""[Rank: Unknown]""
""[Intent: Hostile]""
""[Distance: 92 meters… and closing.]""
Aiden froze.
"…Is is coming again..?"
""And this time, it wasn't watching. It was hunting.""
To be Continued...
"End of Chapter 09."