A faint light filtered through the curtains as Ray slowly opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was white — plain and unfamiliar. His body felt heavy, his breathing uneven. When he tried to sit up, a dull pain shot through his muscles, as if his entire body had been crushed and pieced back together again.

  “Where… am I?” he muttered under his breath.

  Looking around, he noticed clean white walls, a soft mattress beneath him, and a small monitor quietly beeping beside the bed. The faint scent of medicine filled the air. It was clearly a hospital room, though not one he recognized. He placed a hand over his chest, feeling the slow thump of his heart — it was steady but faintly trembling, as if it were adjusting to his own power again.

  He got up, his bare feet touching the cold floor. Though weak, he managed to stand and walk to the window. Outside, he saw people walking, laughing, and chatting — a lively town scene that looked peaceful and untouched by any chaos. The sounds of carriages and voices reached his ears. For a brief moment, it felt unreal — too peaceful for someone like him.

  “What happened to me…?” he whispered.

  Then, fragments of memory began flashing in his mind — Seraphyne’s tears, her fading image as she vanished into the Eternal Flower Garden. His hands clenched unconsciously. “Right… I met her… my daughter.” His voice trembled. “But then… why did I sense her? Serenith…?”

  The moment he thought her name, a faint golden glow flickered on his chest. The 4th Fragment — the Mirror of Soul — pulsed within him, sending small waves of warmth through his veins. It felt like it was responding to something — or someone.

  He tried to focus his mana, but his power flow felt distorted, as if parts of him were sealed again. He could barely summon his spiritual energy — even his breathing control spell flickered in and out. “My energy channels are… unstable,” he muttered, kneeling down slightly as a wave of dizziness hit him.

  It was then he realized — his physical body was healed, but his mana circuits were still recovering from overexertion. His muscles ached with phantom pain, yet his pulse carried immense, sleeping power. His body was fine, but his soul was struggling to balance itself.

  He sat back down on the bed, taking a deep breath.

  “So this is what happens when a Monarch overuses his essence…” he said with a faint smirk.

  Outside, the sunlight glowed brighter through the curtains. Ray looked toward it quietly and whispered,

  “Serenith… I’ll find you — no matter where you are.”

  The quiet hum of machines filled the white hospital room. The afternoon sun filtered through the half-open curtains, casting soft rays across the tiled floor. Ray sat on the bed, still lost in thought about the strange sensations he had felt before losing consciousness—the pulse of his fourth piece of Eryndor, the faint trace of Serenith’s aura, and the aching weight in his chest.

  A sudden knock echoed on the door.

  Ray turned toward it and said calmly, “Please, come in.”

  The door opened with a creak. Two men in black suits stepped in—each wearing a badge clipped neatly on their chests. One had sharp eyes and neatly combed hair, the other looked slightly younger, his posture formal but nervous.

  “Good afternoon,” said the older one, bowing slightly. “I’m Han Seojin, from the Korean Dungeon Management Bureau. And this is my colleague, Jang Minhyuk.”

  Ray nodded politely, his voice low but steady. “Nice to meet you. I’m Ray.”

  The two agents exchanged quick glances before sitting on the chairs beside his bed. There was an odd tension in the air, like they were unsure if they were speaking to a survivor—or something else.

  Han began first, speaking fluent Korean, “We have a few questions regarding your appearance in Seoul’s Sector-17 dungeon.”

  Ray listened carefully. His face remained calm, but his mind registered every tone, every breath. They were speaking Korean—but to their surprise, he understood it perfectly.

  “You speak Korean?” Jang asked, blinking in surprise.

  Ray smiled faintly. “Yes. My family roots trace back to Korea, long ago.”

  Both men leaned back slightly, startled by his fluency. Han cleared his throat and continued, “Then let’s speak comfortably.” He leaned forward. “How did you enter that dungeon? There were no active portals or gate signatures when you appeared.”

  Ray thought for a moment, then decided to speak half the truth. “As far as I remember... I was in a country named Bangladesh.”

  Jang immediately interrupted, his eyes widening. “Wait—Bangladesh? That country was destroyed by a demon invasion two years ago!”

  Ray froze. His expression stiffened. “Two years… passed?” he whispered under his breath, his pupils narrowing.

  Han’s gaze sharpened. “Are you certain about that? Are you really telling us the truth?” He hesitated, then asked bluntly, “Are you… human?”

  Ray exhaled softly, eyes half-lidded. “Yes. I am sure. And I am human. Because…” he paused, his tone steady but emotionless, “I am the one who killed the demons of that country.”

  “Huh?!”

  Both Han and Jang shouted at once, their chairs scraping backward. Their voices echoed through the small room. Shock and disbelief crossed their faces.

  They looked at each other, trying to assess if this man was delusional—or dangerously real. The silence that followed was thick and heavy.

  Han coughed lightly to break the tension. “Ahem. That’s quite a statement.” He forced a small smile. “Then, Mr. Ray, how did you end up inside one of Seoul’s most dangerous dungeons—one ranked A, no less?”

  Ray’s gaze turned toward the window, watching the sunlight fade. “I don’t know,” he said quietly.

  He didn’t mention the teleportation skill—the one that had forcibly moved him between dimensions, between timelines. He couldn’t risk revealing it now.

  Han and Jang exchanged another glance. Neither spoke. The room fell into silence once more.

  Only the rhythmic beep-beep of the heart monitor echoed in the background.

  Ray sat still, his hands resting on his lap, expression unreadable. Inside, though, his mana stirred faintly—as if something deep within him was responding to the faint residual energies in the air.

  Two years... Serenith... and the 4th piece reacting at the same time...

  He clenched his fist beneath the table. Something isn’t right.

  The silence stretched on—none of them realizing that, outside the hospital, faint ripples of dark energy had begun to shimmer above Seoul’s skyline once again.

  The silence in the room was almost suffocating. Ray sat still on the hospital bed, his calm eyes watching Han Seojin flip through a digital report on his wrist device. Jang Minhyuk leaned back in his chair, still uneasy from the last conversation. The air felt heavy with uncertainty.

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  Han finally looked up. “Then, one more thing,” he said, his tone more serious now. “How did you clear that dungeon?”

  Ray tilted his head slightly. “I had my sword to fight,” he replied without hesitation.

  Jang frowned, glancing at Han. “But… we didn’t find any sword when we reached there,” he said. “Not even fragments or mana residue of a weapon.”

  Ray didn’t answer this time. His lips remained sealed, eyes calm yet distant. In his mind, he could still feel the faint echo of his blade — Abyssal Ghost Sword, sealed away the moment the dungeon collapsed.

  He had no intention of revealing that truth.

  The silence stretched for a few seconds before Han broke it again. “Alright then,” he said, exhaling softly. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small device — a glass orb glowing faintly with blue light.

  Ray’s gaze followed it curiously.

  “This is a mana meter,” Han explained. “We use it to assess a hunter’s mana level. Please place your hand on it.”

  Ray nodded. He placed his palm over the crystal sphere, and faint lines of light spread from its core, swirling like tiny galaxies within the glass. The orb hummed softly as the mana within Ray’s body flowed into it.

  Han’s device beeped once, then displayed the results on its small screen.

  A number appeared.

  [Mana Level: 10]

  “Huh!”

  Both Han and Jang shouted in unison, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief. Even Han’s usual composure cracked for a moment.

  “That can’t be right,” Jang muttered. “You’re telling me someone who cleared an A-rank dungeon alone only has ten mana?”

  Han tapped the meter again, thinking it might be a malfunction. But the reading stayed the same.

  Ray just watched silently, his expression unreadable. Deep down, he knew the reason. His mana was sealed along with the power of the fourth piece of Eryndor — the divine artifact that now slumbered within him.

  Han finally sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well… it seems we can’t take any official action now. Without solid proof of your power, there’s nothing we can report.”

  He put the mana meter back into his coat. “This matter is closed for now,” he said firmly. “But…” His gaze sharpened again. “We will assign someone to keep an eye on you, just in case.”

  Ray nodded slightly, unbothered. “Understood.”

  Han paused, then leaned forward with a slight smile. “One more thing. Since you clearly have experience fighting monsters… would you like to work as a Hunter? It’s a legal and stable way to live now. And it would help us observe you without suspicion.”

  Ray looked at him thoughtfully for a moment.

  A hunter… huh?

  After a few seconds, he answered, “Yes. I’ll do it.”

  Han smiled lightly, jotting something down on his tablet. “Good. We’ll arrange your registration once you’re discharged.”

  Ray glanced at his own hand — still faintly trembling, though he tried to hide it. My body still feels weak, he thought. Most of my strength… still sealed. But if I work as a hunter, I can get used to this body again. Bit by bit.

  Han and Jang stood up, straightening their suits. “We’ll contact you soon,” Han said, bowing politely before leaving the room.

  As the door closed, Ray sat back on the bed, exhaling quietly. The hum of the mana meter still echoed in his ears.

  Outside the window, the Seoul skyline shimmered beneath the evening light. People walked, laughed, and lived — completely unaware that a fragment of an ancient god’s power now lay sealed within the man in that hospital room.

  Ray looked up, his eyes glinting faintly with resolve.

  “Until the seal breaks…” he whispered. “I’ll play along.”

  And somewhere deep inside him, beneath the layers of the seal, a faint glow pulsed — the fourth piece of Eryndor responding to his determination.

  Two days later, Ray was discharged from the hospital.

  The morning sky above Seoul was pale and misty, the city humming with its usual rhythm. He walked through the glass doors of the Hunter Association Building, a towering structure lined with banners of guilds and rankings.

  Han Seojin and Jang Minhyuk were waiting for him near the entrance.

  “Morning, Ray,” Han greeted with a polite smile. “You ready for the registration test?”

  Ray nodded quietly. He was dressed in a plain black shirt and training pants, his expression calm but focused. I’m not fully recovered, he thought. But I can’t waste time. I need to adjust to this body… and test how much I can still do.

  They led him to a large training dome — a testing arena surrounded by high-tech monitors and mana detectors. Other applicants were already standing in a line, some whispering among themselves.

  “Isn’t that the guy who was found in the A-rank dungeon?”

  “Yeah, I heard his mana reading was only 10.”

  “No way he’s gonna pass.”

  Ray ignored their chatter. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and entered the test zone when his name was called.

  A mechanical voice echoed through the speakers:

  ? “Test Commencing. Mana Synchronization – Initiate.”

  A holographic figure materialized — a simulated beast covered in scales, rated at D-rank difficulty. Ray drew his hand forward, condensing what little mana he could summon. A faint blue aura flickered, unstable and weak.

  The beast lunged forward.

  Ray dodged, barely avoiding the claws. His legs felt heavy, his lungs burned — it was far different from his usual godlike power. Still, his instincts remained sharp. He countered with a precise kick, forcing the beast back a few steps.

  Too slow… my mana circulation isn’t flowing right.

  The simulated monster charged again. Ray grit his teeth, rolling beneath its arm and striking the glowing core on its chest with his fist. Cracks spread through the illusion, and with a flicker of light, the monster disintegrated into pixels.

  The system beeped.

  ? “Combat Evaluation: 47% Efficiency.”

  “Mana Output: 10 Units.”

  “Result: Passed. Rank Assigned – E.”

  Ray exhaled heavily, sweat running down his face. His knees trembled slightly, and before he could stabilize his breath, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen — the lingering injury from the dungeon battle.

  The world tilted for a moment, and the next thing he knew, Han and Jang were rushing toward him.

  “Ray! Are you alright?”

  His vision blurred as the words left his mouth weakly, “Just… a little tired.”

  The test staff carried him back to the hospital immediately.

  Hours later.

  Ray lay again on the same hospital bed, his body hooked to mana-restoring tubes. His breathing was shallow but steady.

  But deep inside his soul, far beyond his consciousness — something stirred.

  A faint light shimmered in the darkness of his inner world.

  There, resting within a sea of fractured stars, was Serenith’s sleeping soul. Her form was ethereal — a woman in white and silver, her long hair flowing like moonlight in a windless void.

  Her lips moved faintly. A whisper escaped.

  ? “Eryndor…”

  A single tear rolled down her cheek, dissolving into the light around her. Though her soul remained asleep, the echo of Ray’s mana — that faint resonance from the “Mirror of Soul” — had reached her.

  ? “You’re close…” she murmured softly, her voice trembling even in slumber. “Your essence… it’s calling me again…”

  Around her, the space began to pulse with a rhythmic glow — the bond between them subtly strengthening.

  Back in the real world, Ray stirred slightly in his sleep. His brow furrowed, and his hand twitched as if reacting to something unseen.

  ? “Serenith…” he whispered unconsciously.

  Outside his room, Han Seojin watched through the glass panel with crossed arms.

  “Even unconscious, his mana wavelength keeps fluctuating,” Han muttered. “Something about him… doesn’t match any recorded data.”

  Jang nodded. “And yet, he only scored E-rank.”

  Han smirked faintly. “For now.”

  Inside the room, Ray’s faint breathing mixed with the soft hum of the hospital’s machines. His mind drifted again into dreams — of a world once filled with light, and a woman whose name he could no longer clearly remember… but whose presence lingered like a heartbeat.

  The connection between Eryndor and Serenith had begun to awaken once more — quietly, silently, beneath the surface of reality.

  The hospital room was quiet, filled with only the rhythmic beeping of machines and the faint rustle of curtains swaying against the breeze.

  Here, in the Eastern countries, those who had the potential to fight against monsters or other races were called “Hunters.”

  To the rest of the world, they were the same as Rangers, defenders of humanity.

  Ray lay on his bed, his gaze fixed on the white ceiling above him. The conversation with Han Seojin and Jang Minhyuk still echoed in his mind.

  They had stayed for a while, asking questions about his health and power levels before finally leaving.

  Han’s last words lingered in his thoughts:

  ? “Someone will be assigned to keep an eye on you. Just cooperate for now.”

  Ray sighed softly, sitting up.

  He knew this would happen — humans feared what they couldn’t understand.

  For now, he had to rest. The nurses told him to stay in the hospital for a few more days until his mana circuits stabilized. But lying still only made him restless.

  He raised his hand, palm open. His voice was quiet but commanding.

  ? “Come forth… Nyxaria.”

  A faint shimmer appeared in the air above his hand — a flicker of dark light — but it vanished instantly, leaving nothing behind.

  “...Nothing,” he muttered, lowering his hand slowly.

  That familiar weight, that comforting coldness of his sword’s hilt — it was gone.

  Then, the pain returned.

  It started from his chest — a slow, crawling weakness that spread through his veins like frost. His vision blurred for a moment as he clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the surge of unstable mana within.

  This body... still can’t handle my essence.

  He pressed a hand over his heart, breathing heavily. The rhythm of his pulse felt off — too heavy, too erratic.

  After a while, the pain subsided, but the emptiness remained. He looked down at his trembling fingers and whispered,

  ? “I can’t even summon her… Nyxaria… my partner.”

  He leaned back against the pillow, staring out the window. The skyline of Seoul glimmered in the distance, the light of dusk painting the city gold and red.

  Ray closed his eyes. I need to adapt.

  If he wanted to regain control — over his strength, over his essence — he had to move. To rebuild his connection with his power.

  He thought quietly to himself,

  ? “I’ll start with light exercise tomorrow. I need to reawaken this body… before it’s too late.”

  The room fell silent again. Only the sound of his breathing and the faint hum of the hospital lights filled the air.

  For the first time in centuries, the Monarch of Infinity felt truly mortal — weak, tired, and bound by a body that could barely contain his soul.