DarkSync: Shadow Protocol

I stood in front of my bed, the room still heavy with the echo of the fight.

Who the hell sent those assassins after me?

They weren't real Hunters—maybe E-rank at best. E-levels are so weak they can't even handle low-tier dungeon monsters; that's why they take side jobs like this. And I killed them.

If I could wipe out a squad of E-rankers that easily… what's my own level?

A new thought settled in: become a Hunter. I've got power now—power strong enough to survive, to grow, and to track down whoever wants me dead.

But Hunter ranks are fixed—once someone's evaluated and ranked, that's it. Their growth stops there.

Most stay stuck at their level for life.

But me? I'm different.

I have a system.

No Hunter I've ever heard of has something like this. No one gets interface prompts. No one hears voices asking about unlocking seals.

This… whatever this is, it's beyond normal.

> "So if I've got something no one else does… I should be able to grow. Evolve."

Yeah. Screw fixed ranks.

Let's find out just how powerful I really am.

> "Okay… time to go."

I grabbed a spare jacket from the corner of the room and headed out.

Destination: The Hunter Registration Office.

Set up by the Hunter's Association of China, it's where everyone goes to get evaluated—to get scanned, tested, and assigned a rank. The start line for every official Hunter.

If I really had power now... it was time to make it official.

---

As I stepped outside, the cold wind slapped my face, but my mind was already focused inward.

> "System. Show Interface."

The moment I thought it, the world dimmed slightly—like my vision folded inward—and a translucent black-and-red panel appeared in front of me.

---

[SYNC INTERFACE — STATUS]

Name: Unknown

Level: 3

Race: Human (Mutated)

Class: — [Unassigned]

Status: [Seal 1: Unlocked] | [Seal 2: Locked] | [Seal 3: Locked]

---

[ATTRIBUTES]

Strength: 21

Agility: 17

Endurance: 19

Perception: 15

Intelligence: 9

Vitality: 22

DarkSync Rate: 3.2%

Hidden Stat(s): [Locked]

---

[COMBAT POWER RANKING]

Estimated Rank: Unable to Determine

(Hunter Association Systems may not be compatible)

---

[EXPERIENCE]

Current XP: 180 / 400

Next Level: Level 4 at 400 XP

Skill Points Available: 3

Traits Unlocked:

[Dark Blood Resonance] — Passive: Slight regeneration from damage dealt.

[Instinctive Movement] — Passive: Dodge chance increases when health is below 50%.

---

[SYSTEM NOTES]

> Your potential exceeds the current evaluation systems of known Hunter Guilds.

To unlock full class and bloodline functions, reach Level 10 and complete [Origin Trigger Event].

Caution: You are being observed.

Caution: Power synchronization unstable beyond 10%.

---

My eyes widened as I scrolled through it.

> "...Level 3 already? And I have Skills? Traits?"

"No Hunter I've ever heard of has this."

The interface felt alive—responsive. Like it was designed just for me.

And the most terrifying part?

> "You are being observed."

By who?

I shook my head, pushed it down for now. First step: Get to the Hunter Registration Office.

Let them scan me. Let them try to rank me.

---

I walked fast, hoodie up, hands buried in my pockets. The streets were quiet, early enough that the morning haze still clung to the air like a fog of secrets.

But my thoughts weren't on the road.

> "Wait… didn't I see my DarkSync rate at 34% before?"

Yeah. When I was fighting.

Right before I tore through those guys like paper.

Now it's 3.2%.

> "Maybe it spikes when I'm in danger?"

That would make sense.

Like the system adapts, accelerates when I'm near death—but dials back when I'm calm. A combat instinct mode?

But something else stood out.

> 'Caution: Power synchronization unstable beyond 10%.'

Unstable? What happens if it goes over 10%?

My body breaks down? I lose control?

> I sighed. "Whatever. I'll deal with that when the time comes."

Right now, I needed answers. Real ones. And a cover identity wouldn't hurt either.

If I could get officially registered as a Hunter, it would give me access to information, resources, and protection.

> "One step at a time."

After about 30 minutes of walking, I reached the edge of Sector 9, an older part of the city that still operated under the jurisdiction of the Hunters Association of China. Not the best branch, but good enough for registration.

Ahead stood a tall, gray stone building, reinforced with metal plates and glowing scanners along the walls. A faded but still intact banner hung over the main doors:

[HUNTER REGISTRATION & RANKING OFFICE — S9 BRANCH]

"Only the strong survive. Get ranked."

Two armed guards in lightweight exo-gear stood at the entrance, scanning everyone who entered. A digital scanner pod rotated above them, humming faintly.

---

The moment I stepped through the reinforced doors, a sharp scent hit me—disinfectant, metal, and something else… like burnt mana. The inside of the building was sterile, cold, and too quiet for how important it was.

A wide waiting hall stretched ahead, lined with black seats and faint-blue holo-panels on the walls displaying Hunter rules, dungeon warnings, and outdated rank announcements.

There were four others ahead of me.

A bulky guy with an eye patch pacing near the far wall.

Two teenage twins whispering to each other in matching cloaks.

And a girl in her early twenties leaning on the wall, wearing cracked gloves—probably a freelancer aiming for a rank upgrade.

I walked up to the registration counter on the left, where a young woman with neatly tied hair and rectangular glasses was seated behind a transparent barrier. Her holographic keyboard flickered with each touch.

She looked up, her voice flat but efficient. "First-time registration?"

> "Yeah."

She handed over a small tablet. "Fill this out. Name, date of birth, city of origin, ID number. You'll also need to choose whether you're affiliating with a Guild, applying as an Independent, or want to be scouted after ranking."

I took the device and tapped through it quickly.

I tapped through the fields quickly.

> Name: Luo Shen

Date of Birth: 1 June 2044

Origin: Zone 4 – Inner Ruins

Affiliation: Independent

I handed it back.

She glanced at the tablet, blinked once, then gave a subtle nod like she'd seen weirder.

> "Alright. You're registered. Wait for the testers to call your name."

"They'll scan you, measure your attributes, and assign you a rank."

I took a seat near the edge of the waiting line, two chairs away from the girl with the cracked gloves.

Now it was just a matter of time.

But a part of me couldn't sit still.

That DarkSync rate… the unstable synchronization warning…

And the feeling that the moment that scanner touches me—

Something will break.

"Luo Shen," someone called from the hallway.

I stood up and followed the voice into the testing room.

It was a clean space, dimly lit with reinforced walls and several scanning devices lined up against one side. In the center stood two examiners in black coats—one holding a tablet, the other standing next to a glowing pedestal.

The man with the tablet spoke first. "There will be two types of measurements. First, we'll use the Rank Measurement Crystal to assess your awakened ability or potential. Second, we'll test your raw physical power."

He gestured to the pedestal.

"Place your hand on the crystal. Stay still."

I stepped forward and touched it.

The crystal pulsed once. A faint glow spread through it… but that was all.

It shimmered softly—too soft.

They exchanged glances.

> "It's glowing. So he has ability."

"But… it's too dim. We can't measure the depth. Must be a stealth-type or hidden trait."

They didn't know.

The glow was weak not because I lacked power—

But because my power hides itself.

The darkness cloaks its presence.

Still, I said nothing.

"Alright. Next, the power test."

They led me to a thick, cube-shaped machine with a glowing target panel.

"Strike the target with everything you've got. Don't hold back."

I cracked my neck once, took position, and hit it with a full-force punch.

BOOM.

The impact echoed through the room.

The display blinked for a moment before settling on the number:

> 760

The examiners seemed mildly surprised, but not impressed.

"One of the highest we've seen today," one said, jotting it down.

"But with the crystal barely glowing, it doesn't mean much. Physical power alone isn't everything."

They looked at me.

"Based on both results, we're assigning you a provisional E Rank. You can apply for re-evaluation later if you improve or awaken more clearly."

I nodded silently and stepped back.

> E Rank.

That was it?

All that power… that system… those assassins I tore through…

And this is what I get?

I sat quietly in the hallway again, thinking.

> "Was I… overconfident about my power?"