Dungeon Nexus: Rise of the Silent Walker

Kang Jiho's casual smirk did little to ease the tension as the Silver Fang Hunters surrounded him. The sharp-eyed woman at the front—who Jiho now guessed was their leader—sized him up with a gaze sharp enough to cut stone. Her team fanned out behind her, their expressions shifting between confusion and wariness.

"'Just a guy passing through?'" she repeated, her tone icy. "You came out of a Gate—alone. That doesn't happen."

Jiho shrugged, his hands still tucked into his coat pockets. "Guess I'm lucky."

The woman's brow twitched. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

Jiho's smirk didn't waver. Not at all, he thought, but I'm not telling you anything.

Before she could say more, one of her subordinates—a lanky man carrying a double-edged spear—spoke up. "Captain Lee, the Gate's readings spiked right before he came out. It's stabilizing now, but…"

He glanced toward Jiho warily. "It's like he triggered something inside."

"Lee Areum," Jiho muttered under his breath, recognizing the name. The Silver Fang Guild was well-known, its Hunters ranking among the best. Lee Areum herself was an A-rank Hunter, often praised for her ability to handle chaotic Gates with minimal casualties.

Of all people to bump into, Jiho thought, it had to be her.

Areum stepped closer, her presence imposing. She was tall, her posture confident, with sharp features that looked carved for authority. Her eyes narrowed as they met Jiho's—dark, piercing, and unwilling to back down.

"You're not registered," she said flatly. "I know every Hunter within a fifty-kilometer radius. You're not one of them."

Jiho said nothing.

Areum's hand hovered near the hilt of her sword, a sleek, silver weapon strapped to her hip. "You cleared a Gate on your own, didn't you?"

"That's a bold assumption." Jiho tilted his head, his calm demeanor grating on her patience. "How do you know I didn't just get lucky and escape?"

A muscle in Areum's jaw tightened. "An S-Class Gate doesn't let people just escape. Especially not people like you—unregistered, unknown, suspicious."

Her words struck like iron, but Jiho didn't flinch. He understood the reality of his situation. Any Hunter clearing a Gate alone—let alone an unstable Nexus-origin Gate—would immediately raise flags. It was like holding up a neon sign that screamed: Something's wrong here.

The system chimed quietly in Jiho's ear:

Warning: Hostile Investigation Detected.

Recommend Low-Profile Evasion.

Yeah, no kidding, Jiho thought.

"Listen," Jiho said, his voice calm but firm. "I didn't ask for a welcoming party. If you don't want trouble, just let me go."

Areum's eyes flashed dangerously. "And let you disappear? After what just happened here? Not a chance."

She raised her hand, signaling to her team. "Take him in. I want answers."

The Silver Fang Hunters tensed, weapons ready.

Jiho sighed. "Figures."

Before they could move, Jiho vanished.

The Hunters froze, their eyes darting around as their captain barked, "Where is he?!"

"Captain!" one of the men shouted, pointing to a shadow shifting across the ground. "The shadows—he's in the shadows!"

Jiho's voice echoed faintly. "Thanks for the tip."

A moment later, Jiho reappeared atop a nearby lamppost, crouching casually as he looked down at them. His coat fluttered slightly in the night breeze.

Areum whipped around, her sword halfway drawn. "What—"

"Don't waste your energy." Jiho's tone turned colder. "I don't want a fight. But I'm not going with you, either."

The air between them crackled with tension. For a long moment, Areum simply stared at Jiho, her expression unreadable. Then, with visible effort, she lowered her hand, signaling her Hunters to stand down.

"Fine," she said tightly. "But this isn't over."

Jiho grinned faintly. "Looking forward to it."

Without another word, he melted back into the shadows, disappearing from view.

Areum exhaled sharply, frustration etched into her features. "Search the area," she ordered her team. "Find out everything about that guy. I want his name, his face, where he lives—everything."

"But, Captain," one of her subordinates said hesitantly, "if he cleared the Gate alone, doesn't that mean he's—"

"I don't care," Areum snapped. "If he's strong enough to clear an S-Class Gate, then he's strong enough to be a threat. And we don't leave threats unchecked."

Elsewhere

Jiho reappeared in an alley several kilometers away, stepping out of a shadow cast by a streetlamp. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Lee Areum, huh…" He smirked faintly. "She's persistent. I'll give her that."

The system chimed softly:

Nexus Throne Connection Stabilized.

Next Layer Access Unlocked.

Jiho glanced up at the night sky, his expression turning serious. "The next layer, huh?"

He knew Areum wouldn't let this go. The Silver Fang Guild would come for him again—and next time, they wouldn't just send words.

But that didn't matter.

The deeper mysteries of the Nexus were calling him, and Jiho wasn't about to stop now.

End of Chapter 7

This chapter builds the tension between Jiho and Lee Areum, establishing her as a capable and relentless force who will keep crossing Jiho's path. It also foreshadows escalating conflict as more people become aware of Jiho's abilities.

Let me know if you're ready for Chapter 8 or if you want any tweaks!

Areum stepped closer, her presence imposing. She was tall, her posture confident, with sharp features that looked carved for authority. Her eyes narrowed as they met Jiho's—dark, piercing, and unwilling to back down.

"You're not registered," she said flatly. "I know every Hunter within a fifty-kilometer radius. You're not one of them."

Jiho said nothing.

Areum's hand hovered near the hilt of her sword, a sleek, silver weapon strapped to her hip. "You cleared a Gate on your own, didn't you?"

"That's a bold assumption." Jiho tilted his head, his calm demeanor grating on her patience. "How do you know I didn't just get lucky and escape?"

A muscle in Areum's jaw tightened. "An S-Class Gate doesn't let people just escape. Especially not people like you—unregistered, unknown, suspicious."

Her words struck like iron, but Jiho didn't flinch. He understood the reality of his situation. Any Hunter clearing a Gate alone—let alone an unstable Nexus-origin Gate—would immediately raise flags. It was like holding up a neon sign that screamed: Something's wrong here.

The system chimed quietly in Jiho's ear:

Warning: Hostile Investigation Detected.

Recommend Low-Profile Evasion.

Yeah, no kidding, Jiho thought.

"Listen," Jiho said, his voice calm but firm. "I didn't ask for a welcoming party. If you don't want trouble, just let me go."

Areum's eyes flashed dangerously. "And let you disappear? After what just happened here? Not a chance."

She raised her hand, signaling to her team. "Take him in. I want answers."

The Silver Fang Hunters tensed, weapons ready.

Jiho sighed. "Figures."

Before they could move, Jiho vanished.

The Hunters froze, their eyes darting around as their captain barked, "Where is he?!"

"Captain!" one of the men shouted, pointing to a shadow shifting across the ground. "The shadows—he's in the shadows!"

Jiho's voice echoed faintly. "Thanks for the tip."

A moment later, Jiho reappeared atop a nearby lamppost, crouching casually as he looked down at them. His coat fluttered slightly in the night breeze.

Areum whipped around, her sword halfway drawn. "What—"

"Don't waste your energy." Jiho's tone turned colder. "I don't want a fight. But I'm not going with you, either."

The air between them crackled with tension. For a long moment, Areum simply stared at Jiho, her expression unreadable. Then, with visible effort, she lowered her hand, signaling her Hunters to stand down.

"Fine," she said tightly. "But this isn't over."

Jiho grinned faintly. "Looking forward to it."

Without another word, he melted back into the shadows, disappearing from view.

Areum exhaled sharply, frustration etched into her features. "Search the area," she ordered her team. "Find out everything about that guy. I want his name, his face, where he lives—everything."

"But, Captain," one of her subordinates said hesitantly, "if he cleared the Gate alone, doesn't that mean he's—"

"I don't care," Areum snapped. "If he's strong enough to clear an S-Class Gate, then he's strong enough to be a threat. And we don't leave threats unchecked."

Elsewhere

Jiho reappeared in an alley several kilometers away, stepping out of a shadow cast by a streetlamp. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Lee Areum, huh…" He smirked faintly. "She's persistent. I'll give her that."

The system chimed softly:

Nexus Throne Connection Stabilized.

Next Layer Access Unlocked.

Jiho glanced up at the night sky, his expression turning serious. "The next layer, huh?"

He knew Areum wouldn't let this go. The Silver Fang Guild would come for him again—and next time, they wouldn't just send words.

But that didn't matter.

The deeper mysteries of the Nexus were calling him, and Jiho wasn't about to stop now.