The Weight of the Mark Ethan sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, staring at the black sigil burned into his chest. It pulsed with a slow, unnatural rhythm, as if it had its own heartbeat. His heartbeat. The moment he touched it, a sharp static-like sensation ran through his fingers—not quite pain, but not far from it. Leah watched him from across the room, her expression tight with concern. “Does it hurt?” she asked. Ethan exhaled, lowering his shirt. “No.” That was a lie. It didn’t hurt in the way a wound would— But it felt wrong. Like something buried beneath his skin, pressing against his very existence. And the worst part? The System didn’t recognize it.
[SYSTEM ERROR: UNKNOWN MARK DETECTED]
[INFORMATION LOCKED—CANNOT BE REMOVED]
[STATUS: MARKED]
Ethan clenched his fists. Even the System didn’t know what it was. Which meant whatever the Master had done to him— It was beyond the rules of this world. A Deepening Concern Leah was still watching him, her fingers lightly tapping against her arm. “You should let Elias examine it.” Ethan’s jaw tightened. “The Guild doesn’t know what this is any more than we do.” Leah sighed, rubbing her temples. “They might not know yet, but if this is something dangerous—” “It is dangerous,” Ethan cut in, standing. Leah blinked at him, surprised. Ethan turned away, running a hand through his hair. “…I don’t need them experimenting on me just to confirm that.” Leah was silent for a moment. Then—softly: “We’re in over our heads, Ethan.” Ethan knew that. But he wasn’t ready to trust the Guild with something he didn’t even understand himself. Not yet. First—he needed answers. And for that, he needed to check something.
Ethan’s Status—A Growing Change He exhaled, pulling up his System Status. The numbers flashed across his vision.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Ethan Voss
Class: Shadowcaster (Hybrid Assassin-Mage)
Level: 11 → 12 (+1 Level from recent battle)
Health: 340 → 360
Mana: 90 → 105
Strength: 25 → 27 (+2 Level Gain)
Agility: 34 → 36 (+2 Level Gains)
Endurance: 24 → 26 (+2 Level Gains)
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Perception: 26 → 28 (+2 Level Gains)
Mana Control: 12 → 14 (+2 Level Gains)
Available Stat Points: 5 New System Log from Predator’s Absorption:
Random Stat Absorption: +1 Strength, +2 Perception, +1 Endurance
Skill Absorption Roll: SUCCESS (New Skill Acquired.)
Ethan stiffened. A new skill? His pulse quickened as he scrolled down. And then—
NEW SKILL ACQUIRED – [Umbral Echo] (Shadowcaster Exclusive – Rare Rank)
Creates a temporary shadow clone that mimics the user’s last attack. Clone lasts 3 seconds before fading. Can be used for feints, distractions, or chaining attacks. (Mana Cost: 50 | Cooldown: 30 sec.) Ethan’s breath hitched.
This was huge. A skill like this meant he could create openings in battle. Misdirect enemies. Outmaneuver opponents. And the best part? He had absorbed it. Which meant… One of the Shadow-Touched had this ability. That sent a chill down his spine. Because if he had it now— Then that meant they were using it against him before.
A Meeting with Elias Leah left to get Gareth and Kara. Ethan forced himself to focus, taking a few deep breaths before heading toward the Guild’s main hall. He needed to stay in control. He needed to make sure the Guild didn’t find out about the mark. Not yet. By the time he arrived, Gareth and Kara were already seated across from Elias. The Guild Overseer’s expression was grim. “You all look like shit.” Kara rolled her eyes. “Nice to see you too, Elias.” Elias ignored her, his focus shifting to Ethan. “So,” he said, steepling his fingers. “Tell me exactly what happened.” Ethan sat down. And for the next ten minutes, they told him everything.
When they finished, Elias sat in complete silence. Then, finally—he exhaled. “This is worse than I thought.”
A Truth They Weren’t Supposed to Know Ethan narrowed his eyes. “You knew something like this existed, didn’t you?” Elias didn’t answer immediately. Then—quietly: “…Not exactly.” Kara crossed her arms. “That’s vague as hell.” Elias sighed. “There have been whispers.” “Whispers?” Leah asked. Elias met Ethan’s gaze. “Disappearing parties. F-Ranks going missing. At first, we assumed it was standard dungeon losses.” “But now?” He leaned forward, his eyes hard. “Now I think the System is hiding something from us.” The room went silent. Leah looked shaken. Gareth’s expression remained unreadable. And Ethan? He felt a cold certainty settle in his chest. Because this confirmed something he had already suspected. The System was broken. Or worse— It was never meant to help them at all.
The Next Move Elias exhaled. “We need information,” he said. Kara scoffed. “No shit.” Elias shot her a look before turning back to Ethan. “You saw him. You felt his presence. If we’re going to figure out what’s happening, you need to retrace your steps.” Ethan’s jaw tightened. “You’re asking us to go back?” Elias shook his head. “Not yet.” He tapped his fingers against the desk. “There’s a place. A library—not in Portland, but in the ruins beyond the northern fields. Old world knowledge. If anything still holds answers about what we’re dealing with, it’s there.” A long pause. Then Gareth spoke. “When do we leave?” Elias smirked. “As soon as you’re ready.” Ethan’s grip tightened. A library with forgotten knowledge? A place where the truth about the Shadow-Touched might be buried? Something about this felt right. Like the next piece of the puzzle. And maybe—just maybe— It would tell him what the hell was happening to him.
