The Useless One Chosen by Darkness

[Ding]

System Message:

You have entered a Level 20 Monster Residence.

Jihoon jolted upright, brushing dust off his clothes. "That stupid teacher! How does he expect me to fight a Level 20 monster already?!"

Dark mist coiled around him. The cave felt colder than death itself. As he stepped forward, something hard bumped against his boot. He looked down - 

A skeleton.

Jihoon flinched. Bones, half-buried in ash, surrounded him. His heart pounded in his chest.

Meanwhile, in the Shadow Realm...

The Shadow hovered in front of a floating screen, eyes fixed on Jihoon's progress.

"Damn it... Was this too soon?" he muttered.

His hand clenched. "No. He needs this. The real threat won't appear immediately. I'll pull him out if it gets too dangerous -unless... no, I shouldn't think like that."

The Shadow exhaled sharply.

"Why do I feel this way...? Attachment? No. Not again. I know what it cost me the last time... But Jihoon—he has to survive. Not for me, but for her... for his real mother. She's still waiting."

Back in the cave, a bloodcurdling shriek shattered the silence.

WAAAAARRRGHH!!

Jihoon summoned his sword just as the fog parted—revealing a grotesque, crimson beast nearly seven feet tall. Bone spikes jutted from its back. A cage full of screaming souls was chained to its shoulders, swaying with every step.

[Blood Thorn Beast – Lv. 10]

Race: Mutant Beast

HP: 4200 | MP: 300

STR: 80 | AGI: 35 | VIT: 70 | INT: 10

Skills:

Blood Absorption (Heals 5% of all damage dealt)

Regeneration (Heals over time)

Rage Boost (Stats increase under 50% HP)

"Wait - "What the hell is this thing…? That cage—it's full of screaming souls?!"

The beast lunged.

Jihoon dodged using Shadow Step, slashing with Shadow Slash. It connected.

He smirked. "Not so tough."

But when he attacked again, his sword lodged between its bones. The beast retaliated with a crushing blow to his chest.

Blood sprayed. His health dropped.

Then—

[Ding]

Enemy Used: Regeneration

HP Restored.

"What?! Already?!"

Jihoon activated Blood Reap, slicing deep—

[Enemy HP: 4200 → 3000]

—only to watch in horror as the health bar refilled again.

[Enemy HP: 3000 → 4200]

A cursed dagger shot toward him - attached to the beast by chain. Jihoon blocked it, but the impact hurled him into the cave wall.

His MP drained fast. One hour passed.

[HP: 1500/3500]

[MP: 500/3000]

Panting, Jihoon scanned the monster.

"That cage… Maybe that's the source of its healing."

He teleported behind and slashed at the cage—nothing.

Another dagger. Another dodge.

"I'm out of time."

Jihoon Shadow Stepped again—this time, stabbing directly into the cage.

The beast flailed, screaming.

And then, the chained dagger recoiled - slamming into the cage.

CRACK!

The cage shattered.

[Ding]

Enemy Regeneration: Disabled

 "Enough! I'll drag you to hell myself!"

He activated Blood Reap again. Three crimson slashes tore across the monster's body.

[Enemy HP: 3000 → 1500]

The beast entered Rage Mode, but Jihoon didn't stop. One final Shadow Step placed him right in front of its snarling face.

He swung.

[Enemy Defeated: Blood Thorn Beast]

[Level Up: 10 → 11]

[Reward: Mana Potion x1]

He drank it.

[MP: Fully Restored]

The fog thickened. Jihoon trudged forward, muttering, "Three days in this damn place… Where's the exit?"

A low howl echoed.

From the shadows, a wolf-like creature emerged. Its fur shimmered in dark violet hues. Eyes burned red with murderous intent.

[Abyssal Hound – Lv. 12]

Race: Abyss Creature

HP: 3700 | MP: 600

STR: 65 | AGI: 85 | VIT: 50 | INT: 15

Skills:

Shadow Leap

Fear Howl

Savage Bite

Passive: Predator's Chase (Increased speed when target flees)

"No time to waste."

Jihoon dashed in—but the hound vanished.

[Ding]

Dark Perception Activated

Warning: Attack incoming from behind

Jihoon spun, blocking just in time.

"Teleportation? Just like me…"

They clashed across the battlefield, two shadows darting and striking. Jihoon read its movement -Shadow Stepped right behind its next location and landed a perfect decapitation.

[Ding]

Abyssal Hound Defeated

[Level Up: 11 → 12]

Suddenly, a spirit floated down. Its skeletal face was half-covered by a white robe. Soul-chains wrapped around its hands.

[Whispering Wraish – Lv. 15]

Race: Spirit Demon

HP: 2400 | MP: 1800

STR: 10 | AGI: 10 | VIT: 20 | INT: 95

Skills:

Mind Whisper (Confusion)

Possession

Passive: Physical Attacks Pass Through

Jihoon slashed—and the blade passed right through.

Then it transformed—into his teacher.

[Ding]

Warning: You are under Mind Control

"No… You're not real. You're not him!"

Jihoon poured dark mana into his sword and unleashed Dark Infusion.

[Enemy HP: 2400 → 1600]

The ghost screeched and faded. After he use dark fusion slash . 

[Defeated: Whispering Wraish]

[Level Up: 12 → 14]

[Reward: Mana Potion x1]

Then, the a new enemy appeared.

A tall demon with glowing blue eyes and a pulsing soul core in his chest.

[Soul Devourer – Lv. 18]

Race: High Demon | Rank: Elite

HP: 8000 | MP: 5500

STR: 70 | AGI: 40 | VIT: 80 | INT: 120

Skills:

Soul Drain

Guilt's Burst

Demonic Aura (-20% stats to enemies nearby)

Memories surged. His father's insults. His stepmother's beatings.

"No more weakness!"

Jihoon activated everything—Blood Reap, Shadow Slash, Shadow Step—cutting the demon down piece by piece.

[Enemy Defeated: Soul Devourer]

[Level Up: 14 → 16]

[Skill Acquired: Shadow Binding]

[New Skill: Shadow Binding]

MP Cost: 250 | Cooldown: 20 sec

Effect: Binds up to 3 enemies by pinning their shadows. +60% stun chance in darkness.

[''Shadow granded a skill to you'' wants to unlock it ]

Yes ! unlock it.

[Skill Unlocked: Shadow Heal – Locked until Level 30]

Jihoon frowned at the notification. "Seriously, Teacher? Why give me a skill I can't even use yet?"

Later…

He faced them again—every monster he had once struggled against. But this time, he was different.

He shattered the Blood Thorn Beast's soul cage in a single strike and took it down with ease.

He predicted the Abyssal Hound's teleport and ended it in one clean move.

He used Shadow Binding to freeze the Soul Devourer in place before tearing it apart.

And against the spirit demon, he didn't hesitate—flooding it with cursed mana until it evaporated into nothing.

[Level Up: 16 → 20][Reward Gained: Mana Healing Potion x1]

[Status Update]Name: Han JihoonLevel: 20Race: HumanClass: Shadow Wielder (Tier 2)STR: 130 | AGI: 120 | INT: 150 | Dark Affinity: 100HP: 8500 | MP: 6000

Skills Unlocked:

Shadow Step Lv. 4 (Teleport x4)

Blood Reap (Enhanced: 5 Strikes)

Shadow Slash

Shadow Binding ]

He continued forward into the endless fog. Days passed.

No monsters.

No enemies.

No exit.

"I'm losing my mind…" he muttered.

Then his foot caught on something. He stumbled.

A gate.

Black mist seeped through the cracks.

As he reached out and pulled it open, a chilling voice echoed from beyond:

"So… you've finally arrived, human. I've been waiting."