Xu Liangchen was living a modest life with his family, who hailed from an ancient Shadow Dynasty lineage, in the misty, crowded slums of Shanghai. His father had decided to leave the dynasty's chaos and dangers behind so that his wife and son could live a simple life. No information about the dynasty was ever told to Xu Liangchen; the shadows of the past were carefully hidden to prevent them from falling upon this new life.

The event began when Xu Liangchen was just 7 years old, with a gate that appeared out of nowhere in a deserted alley near their home, as if woven from the very air. The gate had never been there before but suddenly appeared like a real door. His curiosity overcoming his fear, the small child hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

The other side of the gate was a place a young mind could never have imagined; it was dark and terrifying. Before him stood an army of more than 10 million soldiers, stretching as far as the eye could see. Their weapons and armor were made of a dark metal, as black as the night itself, and their presence created a pressure so intense it could freeze the very air. The commander of this army was the imposing General Xerathul, with Grand Marshal Draemorth at his side. But the most striking figure was the one standing in front of them all, a being of terrifying power: Vorgath.

Vorgath was one of the 7 Monarchs of Darkness and the second most powerful among them. Standing nearly 4 meters tall, with shoulders as broad as a mountain and muscles as hard as stone, he resembled a human but was not entirely human. The two massive, curved obsidian-black horns on his head emphasized his otherworldly nature. The color of his skin was pitch-black, with reddish veins glowing subtly, as if a constantly boiling lava from hell flowed beneath his skin. His eyes were entirely black, with only a thin ring of blood-red in the iris. Whenever he spoke, his voice resonated like a deep, echoing gong from underground.

Vorgath approached the small child. His face was like a maskless demon's, with a stern jawline, slit-like lips, and a furrowed brow. He bent down and spoke in that rumbling voice, "You, Xu Liangchen, a member of the Shadow Dynasty's Root Family... Take this dagger and await your time."

Without understanding what was happening, Xu Liangchen took the dagger Vorgath held out to him. It was a legendary weapon known as "Hei Ming." The blade's black obsidian body was covered in red vein patterns that resembled dragon scales. Its tip never reflected light, appearing to absorb all the brightness around it. In its hilt, a miniature shadow vortex constantly swirled.

After handing over the dagger, Vorgath turned to leave but cast one final glance back at Xu Liangchen. The pressure from that single look was too much for a 7-year-old to bear. Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, the young Xu Liangchen fainted.

When he opened his eyes, he was in his own bed, screaming in terror. But that was not the only effect of the incident. A digital screen suddenly appeared before his eyes: "All requirements to become a Player have been met. Do you want to become a Player? Yes/No?"

Instinctively, Xu Liangchen said "Yes."

The screen changed, and a new message appeared with a checkmark: "Quest complete: Become a Player ✅."

From that day on, little Xu Liangchen was no longer an ordinary child but a constantly evolving, strengthening Player.Xu Liangchen relentlessly grew stronger for 20 years, thanks to the abilities granted by the "Player" system. This system not only gave him immense physical strength and durability but also an unparalleled understanding of combat strategies and energy management. Over the years, he transformed from a young boy into a 27-year-old man whose every move radiated power and resolve. Yet, he knew nothing about his mysterious past or the dagger "Hei Ming," and every day he spent pondering these questions only deepened the emptiness and curiosity within him.

Dungeons had begun appearing all over the world five years ago, ushering in a new era for humanity: the Age of Hunters. The strongest individuals in this new world, the Z-Rank Hunters, were revered as heroes. Hiroto Kurogane and Travis Kane were two such heroes. However, five years later, a colossal gate opening in Brazil was about to change the world's balance forever.

This gate was no ordinary dungeon; it was the lair of humanity's most formidable foe, the legendary Red Dragon Galadius. Immediately after the gate opened, countless Hunters, including Hiroto Kurogane and Travis Kane, went in to defeat Galadius. Most of them never came out alive. The Red Dragon had single-handedly slaughtered tens of thousands of Hunters, plunging all of humanity into despair. Hope was dwindling, and panic swept across the globe.

It was at this moment that the as-yet-unknown Xu Liangchen arrived in Brazil. He saw Galadius's power, the destruction it had wrought, and the desperation of the people. He entered the gate alone, not with the tens of thousands of Hunters who had come before him. The battle inside was more than a man fighting a dragon; it was a battle that resembled a clash of gods. Using Hei Ming's shadow power, Xu Liangchen parried Galadius's flames and claws. He fought not only with pure physical might but also with unique strategies and incredible resilience.

The end of the battle came with a massive explosion that echoed across the entire world. Xu Liangchen defeated Galadius, tearing him to pieces. This victory not only earned him the title of savior but also the honor of becoming the first-ever National-Rank Hunter in history. He was now China's pride and humanity's hope.However, the peak of this rise also marked the beginning of a new mystery. One day, he went to clear a dungeon in China and never returned. Search efforts yielded no results, and Xu Liangchen was officially presumed dead. The incident was hushed up for reasons no one knew.His story seemed to have ended there, but it was only the beginning. For the legend everyone had forgotten was preparing for his return. China's National-Rank Hunter, Xu Liangchen, was ready to return.With the war's onset, Xerathul launched a massive burst of energy. Each explosion created a power wave that shook the ground and lit up the air. However, Xu Liangchen parried these destructive attacks with incredible agility, as if in a dance. His dagger sliced through the incoming energy, absorbed the power of the explosions, and reflected them back. Every one of his movements was both graceful and deadly.Travis Kane and Troy Vance's remaining armies watched this epic struggle with bated breath. The soldiers were filled with a mixture of shock and awe. Their swords were drawn, yet there was nothing they could do in the midst of this divine conflict. For them, it was not a war, but a supernatural spectacle.

Suddenly, Xerathul raised his sword to the sky. A black, smoky circle opened, and the sky instantly darkened. An immense energy from the cosmos began to flow into his sword. When Xerathul roared with the effect of this power, such a dense sound wave was released that Travis Kane and the surrounding army were completely scattered. The weaker ones fainted, unable to withstand this pure force. Xu Liangchen's status appeared on the screens: (Name: Xu Liangchen Level: 115 Profession: Slayer of Darkness Fatigue: 0 Hp: 4000/5000 Mp: 1000/2500). No matter what the attack, Xu Liangchen had no intention of giving up in this war.In response to Xerathul's move, Xu Liangchen whispered with an inner command: "Activate the remaining abilities!" Instantly, three notifications appeared on his screen: (Notification: Ability Quick Dash activated), (Notification: Ability Fatal Blow activated), and (Notification: Ability Advanced Dagger Arts activated). Now, he was more powerful than ever before.

Equipped with this new power, Xu Liangchen lunged at Xerathul. He was so fast that Xerathul's senses couldn't perceive him. His attacks, made 500,000 times per second, were like a torrent of light. Every blow cut through Xerathul's armor like paper. In just one second, Xerathul's arm was severed from his body, and black blood gushed out. The Knight of Darkness roared in a pain he had never tasted before.

Filled with pain and fury, Xerathul began to transform his body with a roar. His shattered armor and flesh gave way to a more terrifying form. He had entered his "Final Form." Now, he stood against Xu Liangchen, more powerful and more deadly. As the two warriors lunged at each other, a dense energy storm formed around them. It was as if two auras were clashing in the sky.Simultaneously, thousands of kilometers away, the skies of Tokyo bore witness to a similar devastation. Omer Jin-Hoo had begun a deadly clash with Lyvrael. Under the city lights, two legendary figures collided at an incredible speed.Omer knew this wasn't an ordinary fight. He had to use his full power. He gripped the hilt of his dagger and gave an internal command: "Max out all abilities and spend all remaining skill points!" Notifications confirming the flow of power appeared on his screen: (Notification: Fatal Blow Lvl Max activated), (Notification: Quick Dash Max Lvl activated), (Notification: Bloodlust Lvl Max activated), (Notification: All Skill Points spent).

With this power boost, Omer lunged toward Lyvrael with a dangerous grin. His speed had increased so much that he was like a ghost. Each of his blows created a shockwave that tore through the air. An intense aura battle had begun around the two of them. Every move caused massive energy explosions over Tokyo, illuminating the sky like a lightning storm and offering a terrifying spectacle to the city's inhabitants.

In the heat of the battle, Omer made a strategic move. He threw his Shadow's Claw dagger behind Lyvrael and shouted, "Activate Shadow Shift!" He was going to teleport to his dagger's location, but something unexpected happened. A terrifying warning appeared on his screen: (WARNING: Ability cannot be activated). Lyvrael seemed to have anticipated his plan.

With his last hope gone along with his dagger, Omer was sent flying back for meters by a tremendous punch from Lyvrael. He no longer had his dagger and was left defenseless. Lyvrael didn't miss this opportunity and began relentlessly striking Omer with his single remaining dagger. Each blow opened deep wounds on Omer's body. Omer's final status appeared on the screen as he fell to the ground, covered in blood: (Name: Omer Jin-Hoo Level: 70 Profession: Shadow Sovereign Fatigue: 55 HP: 10000/35000 MP: 660/790). His body was exhausted, his power draining. But the war wasn't over yet. Omer parted his bloody lips and whispered, "Now..." The world watched these massive events unfolding in Tokyo and London with bated breath. News channels filled the screens, and news anchors reported the situation with trembling voices: "The fate of our world currently rests in the hands of two unidentified hunters fighting in Tokyo and London. We are urging our citizens to move to safe zones." Panic had gripped the entire globe. Hunters in Asia were on standby at the North Sea and along the coast of China, while Western hunters were waiting along the coastlines of Normandy and France. Everyone knew that in the midst of this uncertainty, their destiny was in the hands of these two warriors.

In Tokyo, Omer Jin-Hoo lay on the ground, covered in blood. His body cried out that it was exhausted. However, at that critical moment, as Lyvrael approached to deliver a fatal blow, Omer gathered his last ounce of strength. A single word escaped his lips: "Now!"At that instant, everything froze. The Shadow's Claw dagger suddenly appeared in Omer's hand, and right beside him, like a shadow, Byung-Ho emerged. Byung-Ho's eyes shone with a wild light, and his face held a crazed expression. By the time Lyvrael sensed the sudden danger behind him, it was too late. Byung-Ho delivered a deadly strike to Lyvrael's back with all his might. Lyvrael roared in pain and turned around in shock.

But for Omer, this was just the beginning. Using his dagger, Omer raised his hand and, with all his will, shouted: "Vatra!" A dimensional rift opened from his hand. The rift spun like a black vortex, and the energy pouring from it made the entire city tremble. The first figure to burst out was Neroth, his sword glowing in the air. He was followed by the mighty Flame Dragon Antaios with his powerful fists, then Ignarion engulfed in flames, Virdal with a chilling aura, and finally Baran with a dagger of shadow.

Five legendary beings had appeared beside Omer. Lyvrael found himself facing not just Omer, but an entire legion of death. Before Lyvrael could comprehend what was happening, Neroth, Antaios, Ignarion, Virdal, and Baran all attacked him at once. This final blow was not just a step toward Omer's salvation, but a final, hopeful act for the salvation of the entire world.