Chapter 05

Suho looked at Beru with a confused expression.

"You left just like that and now you're saying, you couldn't go back?"

[Actually, the journey to Earth was very long and difficult. Numerous enemies stood in my way, but I had no strength to go back after ripping them apart…Khuhm.]

Beru made excuses while looking embarrassed.

[If His Majesty were by my side, my power would have been charged in an instant, but it was impossible to recharge because He was so far away from here.]

"…"

Suho looked at Beru in silence.

Compared to how Beru originally looked, he was far smaller now that he had run out of power.

'He looks like a doll.'

Suho picked him up with one hand.

[Ehh?]

Mini Beru looks like a keychain dangling in Suho's hand.

He was so light he looked like a prize from a claw machine.

Beru continued to chatter while clinging to Suho's hand.

[I don't know if your memory has returned, Young Master is the only heir to the great and mighty Shadow Monarch.]

"Shadow Monarch? Who is that?"

[Seung Jinwoo. I'm talking about your father, Young Master.]

"My father?"

[Yep!]

Suho doubted his ears for a moment.

"Father? The one who left home?"

[He did not leave your house, rather, he went out into outer space.]

"…?"

Outer space?

Seeing Suho's confused face, Beru talked in a calm voice.

[Let me explain it briefly.]

Swoosh!

[There is a huge war going on in the universe right now.]

A shadow formed from Beru's hand, made up of black energy, creating a vision.

The shadow illusion turned into numerous soldiers the size of a fingernail, and more and more monsters attacked them.

And, at the center…

There was a man who glowed with a particularly strong energy.

Of course, the size of a nail as well.

[This war is now being commanded by your great father Sung Jinwoo.]

Beru's hand then pointed at the enemies that 'Sung Jinwoo' was blocking.

[These guys are the henchmen of Itharim who came to devour our world whole.]

"Itharim?"

[Itharim are the Gods of outer space far away from Earth.]

Beru continued talking with a solemn expression.

Just vicious and tenacious these guys called Itharim are.

Most of them were just cursed, but anyway, they were enemies who came to invade the Earth.

"So, you're saying that the demonic monsters that gushed out of the gates from two years ago were because of Itharim?"

Suho, who was listening to the explanation, felt strange.

Both of Suho's parents were missing.

They had been reported missing a long time ago, and yet the police never found any clue.

It was as if they had disappeared with no traces found, so he had given up halfway and lived on.

But, now they were just in outer space?

It was hard to believe, but the fact that there was a stuffed doll, or talking ant, in front of him was also an unrealistic situation to begin with.

Oh well, in a world where monsters and demons exist in dungeons, adding universe stuff into that is nothing more surprising.

Suho suddenly asked.

"What about my mother? Did she also go to outer space?"

[Ehh? No.]

Beru flashed a puzzled look on his face.

"What? She did not?"

[Yes, she didn't. Where did Ms. Haein go?]

Suho's face stiffened with Beru's reaction.

"She disappeared on the same day as my father so of course I thought she went with him…"

[Eeeeckk?! Has Ms. Haein disappeared? When? Where to?]

It was Beru who was more surprised with the late realization.

"I have no idea."

Suho sighed deeply.

* * *

Beru flew to Earth from outer space while the war was ongoing.

The process was really tough and not an exaggeration.

It was a huge thing to leave for a battlefield alone as the High Commander.

He barely managed to get to Earth after overcoming the enormous military force, and now he discovers that the whereabouts of Sung Jinwoo's wife, Cha Haein, were unclear.

Beru was shocked.

[Keeek! I have to find Ms. Haein right now!]

"Do you know where to find her?"

[It's obvious who would do this! Itharim! The apostles of Itharim on Earth could have set an evil trap for her!]

Suho's mother, Cha Haein, received the protection of the Shadow Monarch so she shouldn't be in danger.

But, what if something happened?

She must've encountered forces counter to that of the Shadow Monarch's power.

Beru made a fuss like that, but Suho was not very worried about his mother Cha Haein for some reason.

Of course, he was very worried at the time of her disappearance, but the shock of knowing his father's identity was so great that his mother did not look like an ordinary human anymore.

"Come to think of it, I've never seen my mother become flustered ever since."

After all, she decided to marry Suho's father despite knowing his true identity.

[No, that was just because parenting was so hard…]

Beru muttered something next to him, but Suho didn't hear.

The kind of mother Cha Haein was that Suho remembers was always a relaxed and unwavering firm person.

Could that be why? It may be just a vague belief, but he couldn't imagine his mother to be in danger.

Still, it was very fortunate to find a clue to his parents' disappearance, which had been an open case for so long.

"Beru, what can I do to find my mother?"

With that question, Beru shouted strongly while hanging onto Suho's hand.

[Of course, you need to become strong as soon as possible!]

"Become strong?"

[Yes! His Majesty cannot come to Earth for now because of the ongoing war. The only one who can save Ms. Haein is you, Young Master. But, right now you are weaker than a caterpillar!]

"C-Caterpillar…?!"

Suho was a bit offended.

Regardless of whether he was or not, Beru removed all the shadows he had created, escaped from Suho's hands, and soared high into the air.

He pointed at Suho's and chuckled.

[That's why you should level up.]

Ring!

[The quest has arrived.]

At that moment, a message window appeared in front of Suho's eyes.

[Quest: Trials of the Shadow]

You are the son of the great Shadow Monarch.

But right now, all of your innate skills are sealed.

You will have to prove your qualifications to receive that great power.

Enter the Shadow Dungeon and prove your worth.

"Shadow Dungeon?"

The quest window unfolded before his eyes.

As soon as Suho read that, he remembered the Shadow Dungeon Key that Beru handed over in his dream.

[The shadow dungeon is the 'Realm of Peace' given to the Young Master. It is the land of the dead, where the living cannot set foot without the owner's permission. Please open 'Inventory'.]

Right then, a translucent window opened in front of him.

[INVENTORY]

Shadow Dungeon Key (Unchecked)

'There's an inventory? It's totally like a real game.'

It was fascinating.

Accordingly, the dream he had was a tutorial, but this time, all the features like the ones in a real game were added.

Suho reached out and took the key.

Then, an information window appeared above the key.

[ITEM: Shadow Dungeon Key]

Obtaining Difficulty: ??

Type: Key

This is the key to entering the Shadow Dungeon.

Can also be used on Sung Suho's shadow.

'Can be used on my shadow?'

Following that explanation, Suho's gaze went down to his feet.

He got down on one knee and gently held the tip of the key over his shadow.

Swook!

Strangely, the key went into his shadow.

Beru's eyes widened.

[Come on! Go inside and take all the power that should have belonged to you, Young Master.]

"Wait."

Suho pulled out the key again and hurriedly changed his clothes.

After taking off the baggy hospital gown and slippers, he found his own clothes and put them on, then tied his shoelaces.

A determined light shone in Suho's eyes looking down at his shadow.

"Great. Now, let's go."

[Khiiikk! Let's go! I'll be by your side to assist you! Well, even though all my power is gone!]

Suho didn't expect much.

He shoved the key back into his shadow.

Clack.

[Do you want to enter the Shadow Dungeon?]

( Y / N )

"…I will enter."

Shwaaaaa-!

After he answered, Suho's shadow spread all over the place.

It began to devour everything in sight.

The walls and ceilings, and even the entire hospital building.

[You have entered the Shadow Dungeon.]

Before he knew it, Suho had arrived in a black-and-white world covered in shadows.

'Here?'

Calm stillness where no human presence could be felt.

A dense forest dyed in black and white was waiting for Suho.

No, it was actually a ruined city turned into a forest.

The outer walls of the towering buildings were covered with moss and vines.

Suho suddenly remembered a book he read as a child.

'The title was probably…Was it The Earth Where Mankind Disappeared?'

The book was a documentary about the so-called self-purification of Earth.

Roughly summarizing the contents, a city that has been neglected and unmanaged for a long time grows grass and trees, tearing down all the buildings, and eventually becoming a forest.

Just like this place.

'It also felt like a field contaminated with mana.'

In the midst of that silence, Beru, who followed Suho, flew up and made a salute.

[Welcome to the Shadow Dungeon!]

"Is this the Shadow Dungeon?"

Suho looked around and felt strange.

It felt like stepping into an old horror movie.

'…Why does it somehow feel familiar?'

Like everyone else, it is impossible to keep clear memories during childhood vividly.

However, the emotions and atmosphere that he felt at that time still remained deep in his heart even after he became an adult.

This black-and-white world, which might seem very sinister to some, felt like the most warm embrace of a mother to Suho.

Right then.

Swoosh!

'Goosebumps!'

Suho's senses stat sent a warning.

Whoop-!

An axe flew from behind him.

[Hikkk! The trial has begun! Avoid it!]

Suho moved swiftly upon hearing that and immediately turned around.

He kicked as much as he could!

Thuck-!

"Hiikk!"

After being hit by Suho's kick, a monster tumbled unsightly to the floor.

A name tag floated on top of his head like that of Beru's.

[Goblin Spectator]

"Khiiikk!"

Green skin.

It was a hideous monster about a meter tall.

'Spectator?'

As soon as Suho confirmed its name, his nerves bristled.

'If it was a spectator, there could be lots of them around!'

Suho had already fought numerous battles in his dreams when he was a teenager.

The survival instinct engraved in him moved his body.

'I need to kill it because it could attract more of its kind!'

Thud!

Suho threw it around before it could even get up.

[Khiikk! It's dangerous with bare hands! Goblins are weak creatures but right now, Young Master is weaker!]

"I know!"

Kwak!

Suho proceeded and hit the Goblin Spectator's hand making it drop the axe.

[Kyaaaaah! You're doing great! Really great!]

Beru flew upwards and clapped excitedly.

'Ah, so noisy.'

Grab!

['ITEM: Imp's Stone Axe' has been obtained.]

Suho swung the axe as soon as he grabbed it.

Kwadeuk!

[Iiikk!]

[You have killed the Goblin Spectator.]

Suho cut off the goblin's head at once.

But, there was no time to rest.

Swiiish!

A chilling sound of wind came from behind.

'I knew it, there's more of them!'

Arrows were flying in the air.

Suho instinctively stretched out his hand.

'Ruler's Power!'

Kwak!

At that moment, a transparent hand extended from Suho's hand and caught the flying arrow.

[Khiiikkk! Is that power perhaps…!]

Seeing the arrow stopped in the air, Beru was so happy that he didn't know where to look.

[As expected, Young Master! You finally awakened the power you had when you were a kid!]

Beru exclaimed.

It was his ability to walk on air when he was a baby.