Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 15 - : A World That Fears the Abyss

Sai sat against the cold stone wall of the Hall of Remnants, his breathing steady but his mind racing. His fingers twitched slightly as he stared at his open palm—the one that had activated Abyssal Grasp just moments ago. The shadows had moved at his command. Even though the ability was weak, the implications were massive. He wasn't just walking through the Lost Gates anymore. He was changing because of them.

And that meant one thing: The Hidden Order wasn't just trying to stop the Abyss from awakening. They were trying to stop people like him from existing.

The air in the hall was still, but Sai knew he couldn't stay here forever. The golden chains sealing the Abyss were whole again, as if they had never broken. The hooded man from before was gone. Had he been real? Or just another remnant of the past, like the battlefield vision Sai had seen? Either way, there was no more time to waste. He had seen what was inside the Abyss. It was watching him. And it was waiting. Sai stood up, ignoring the soreness in his muscles. He had to get moving. There was another Lost Gate out there, and if the Order erased it before he could reach it—he might never learn the truth.

The exit to the City of Those Who Knew shimmered in the air, a faint crackling distortion where the Lost Gate's energy still lingered. Sai stepped through—and the world shifted. For a moment, he felt weightless. Then—solid ground. He was back in the forest. The night sky stretched above him, a full moon casting silver light over the treetops. The cool wind brushed against his face, the scent of damp earth and leaves grounding him back in reality. But something was wrong. The moment he stepped forward, a notification appeared.

[Warning: The Hidden Order Has Arrived.]

Sai's entire body tensed. Then—a voice.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

Sai spun, daggers raised—Three figures stood just beyond the tree line, their silhouettes sharp against the moonlight. He recognized one of them immediately. The masked assassin from before. The other two were different—one held a long spear, the other a bow crackling with mana energy. A tracking team. Sai exhaled slowly, lowering his stance.

"I should've known you wouldn't let me walk away."

The masked man chuckled. "Oh, it's far too late for that."

The archer lifted his bow. Sai moved instantly.

A bolt of blue energy shot through the air—but Sai had already activated Abyssal Step. His vision blurred—and he reappeared five meters to the side. The moment he landed, he threw a dagger straight at the archer's arm. The man twisted his body, barely avoiding the blade—but Sai was already moving again. The spear-wielder charged, stabbing forward with precision. Sai dodged left, twisting his body to avoid the deadly point—But the masked assassin was already there. Sai barely had time to react before a black dagger sliced toward his throat.

Shadow Step.

For two seconds, Sai phased into the darkness. The dagger passed harmlessly through him. Then—he reappeared behind the assassin. He slashed upward—aiming for the exposed gap in his opponent's armor—But the assassin moved faster. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as their weapons met.

"You've improved," the assassin mused. "But it won't matter."

Sai gritted his teeth.

"Guess we'll find out."

The assassin lunged again, but this time—Sai didn't dodge. Instead, he focused. He felt the darkness shift beneath him. And for the first time—He willed the shadows to move. The ground beneath the assassin's feet twisted, tendrils of darkness rising just enough to throw off his momentum. It was a small change—but it was enough. Sai ducked under the strike, twisting his body—And slammed his dagger into the assassin's side.

The masked man staggered back, clutching his wound. His companions reacted instantly. The archer fired another mana-infused shot. The spear-wielder lunged—but Sai was already gone.

Abyssal Step.

He blinked backward, just outside their range. He exhaled sharply, heart pounding. His ability had worked. But the assassin was already recovering.

"You shouldn't be able to do that," the masked man said, his voice colder now. "You're changing."

Sai didn't deny it.

"Yeah," he said, gripping his dagger tighter. "I am."

And that meant the Order was running out of time.

The assassin didn't attack again. Instead, he tilted his head slightly—listening. Then, to Sai's surprise—he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Tch. Looks like we're out of time."

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

Sai didn't lower his weapons. "What are you talking about?"

The assassin sighed.

"I don't know how, but the Guilds found out about the Lost Gate you just entered." He sheathed his dagger. "They're sending people here."

Sai's pulse quickened.

The Hunter Guilds?

He had expected the Order to come after him, but why would the Guilds be interested in a Lost Gate?

Unless—

"They finally noticed the dungeons are changing," the assassin muttered. He shook his head, turning away. "We'll deal with you later."

Then—just like before—he disappeared into the forest.

The other two assassins followed without a word. Sai didn't move. His body remained tense, waiting for a surprise attack—but none came. The Order had chosen to leave. And that meant something worse was coming.

Sai barely had time to process the encounter before he heard new voices approaching from the north. He turned his gaze toward the tree line—And multiple figures stepped into the clearing. They weren't assassins. They weren't the Order. They were hunters. And leading them was a man clad in silver battle armor, a long greatsword strapped across his back. His aura was immense, the presence of a high-ranked warrior. He stopped a few feet away from Sai, studying him with sharp, calculating eyes.

"So you're the one they're all after," the man said, his voice deep and commanding.

Sai remained silent, gripping his daggers.

"I don't care about the Order," the armored hunter continued. "But if you know something about these dungeons..."

His gaze darkened.

"You're coming with us."